Effects of prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke on use of xanthine and pneumogram evaluation at discharge in premature infants.

Objective: Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke is associated with an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome and possible rate increase of obstructive apnea in full-term infants but unknown in premature infants. Therefore, the objective was to study the effect of prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke on the use of methylxanthines and discharge pneumograms in premature infants.

Methods: Preterm infants [gestational age (GA) ≤34 weeks] born between January 1997 and September 2007 were studied. A four-channel pneumogram was performed at discharge. Relevant clinical data were collected from the infant's records. Infants with prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke were compared with infants not exposed (controls).

Results: A total of 1656 infants were studied: 263 infants {birth weight (BW) (mean ± SD) 1682 ± 566 g, GA 31.0 ± 2.8 weeks} exposed to prenatal cigarette smoke and 1393 infants (BW 1638 ± 575 g, GA 31.1 ± 2.7 weeks) not exposed. Baseline patient characteristics were similar between the two groups. When comparing the smoking versus control groups, there was no significant difference in the infants for the following: xanthine therapy and abnormal pneumograms; presence of central, obstructed or mixed apnea and home discharge on monitors, oxygen and xanthines.

Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke was not associated with increased use of xanthines or abnormal pneumogram in premature infants.