[Experiences with the preventive use of aminophylline (Euphylline) in apnea and periodic respiration in infants]

Abstract

Sleep apnea and periodic breathing in infants are the result of a mild hypoxia and they are the requirement for SIDS. As a results of the modern medicine each 4.-5. death is the cause of SIDS during the first year of life. The positive effect of theophylline on apnea of prematurity is known since 1973. We have given theophylline (Euphyllin) from 1979 till 1986 to 198 premature infants with a birth weight below 2000 g for apnea prophylaxis orally in a doses of 9 mg/kg body weight per day distributed in 3 to 4 doses for a period of 1 to 4 months. Since then primary apnea in premature infants haven't any importance. Beside the home-monitoring we give theophylline for SIDS. In 1986 and 1987 1041 healthy term newborn infants received theophylline over a period of 6-8 weeks and more then 300 newborns until 6 months and more. There were no deaths from these infants form the cause of SIDS. Since 1987 all newborn infants with a pathological hypoxia-test as a screening test for the risk of SIDS received Euphyllin until normalization. With this method we have reduced evidently the death rate of SIDS in our district.