Bradley, Caryn. The effect of position on cardiopulmonary outcomes in preterm infants during bottle feeding. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T37S7QMM
DescriptionBackground. Feeding in preterm infants is a complex motor activity requiring physiologic stability, behavioral readiness and the sensorimotor synchronization of multiple muscle groups; to effectively coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing. The elevated sidelying position is suggested as a potential therapeutic intervention strategy to support bottle feeding in preterm infants. Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of position on cardiopulmonary parameters in preterm infants during oral feeding. In addition, nonlinear methods of analysis of respiratory waveforms (Approximate Entrophy) were used to examine respiratory variability during oral feeding. Methods. Twelve healthy preterm infants were studied using a within-subject cross over design to compare semiupright and the elevated sidelying position during bottle feeding. Outcomes measures were cardiopulmonary physiology (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and respiratory pattern variability), behavioral state and feeding efficiency (volume intake and length of feeding). Results. The principle findings related to cardiopulmonary physiology revealed no significant difference in heart rate, respiratory rate, percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation or respiratory variability between the semiupright and elevated sidelying position, during oral feeding in healthy preterm infants. Feeding outcomes did not differ significantly between the semiupright and elevated sidelying position. Nonlinear measures of respiratory waveforms proved useful in assessing variability in respiratory patterns in healthy preterm during bottle feeding. Conclusions. Either the semiupright position or the elevated sidelying may be beneficial for healthy preterm infants transitioning to oral feeding. Analysis of respiratory waveforms may prove useful clinically for assessing variability in infant breathing patterns.