Caffeine for preterm infants: a narrative review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25753/BirthGrowthMJ.v32.i4.27860

Keywords:

apnea of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, caffeine, methylxanthine, pharmacology, preterm infant

Abstract

Caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist used to prevent or treat apnea of prematurity in the neonatal period and is now the standard of care for very low birth weight infants. Caffeine is a widely used stimulant that has been shown to reduce the duration of assisted ventilation and oxygen therapy in the short term, as well as the rate of treatment for patent ductus arteriosus and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In the longer term, it improves expiratory airflow in children and has benefits for respiratory health. These results are due to several effects of caffeine. It stimulates the respiratory center in the brain stem and improves diaphragm contractility. In addition, caffeine protects against lung inflammation caused by lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory amnionitis and has direct effects on pneumocytes and pulmonary angiogenesis, thereby reducing hyperoxia-induced lung injury. It also has antifibrotic activity in lung tissue. Caffeine improves survival without neurodevelopmental disability at 18 months and has demonstrated long-term safety up to 11 years of age.
The present article is a non-exhaustive review of useful information about one of the most commonly used drugs in neonatal medicine.

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Author Biography

Gustavo Rocha, Department of Neonatology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João

Editor da Acta Pediátrica Portuguesa desde 2014

Nasceu em Aveiro em 1965

Ensino Secundário no Liceu José Estevão, Aveiro

Licenciado em medicina pela Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto

Especialidade de Pediatria no Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto

Ciclo de estudos em Neonatologia no Hospital de São João, Porto

Subespecialidade de Neonatologia

Assistente Hospitalar Graduado de Pediatria

Exerce funções no Serviço de Neonatologia, Hospital de São João, Porto

Estágios no estrangeiro:

UCI Neonatais - Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Bruxelas

ECMO neonatal - Karolinska ECMO Center, Estocolmo

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Published

2024-01-23

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1.
Rocha G. Caffeine for preterm infants: a narrative review. REVNEC [Internet]. 2024Jan.23 [cited 2024Jul.26];32(4):289-98. Available from: https://revistas.rcaap.pt/nascercrescer/article/view/27860

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Vol. 32 No. 4 (2023)

Section

Review Articles

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Copyright (c) 2024 Gustavo Rocha

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