Apnea in infants hospitalized with pertussis: Incidence and gestational smoking association.

Background: Apnea is a life-threatening complication of pertussis, now a re-emerging cause of infant hospitalization worldwide. The incidence of apnea during pertussis ranges widely. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the incidence of apnea in hospitalized infants diagnosed with pertussis and to identify relevant risk factors for apnea.