Abstract
Objective The aim of this study is to assess the effects of administering 20 mg/kg loading
dose of caffeine citrate intravenously on splanchnic oxygenation in preterm infants.
Study Design The infants with a gestational age (GA) of <34 weeks who were administered with a
20 mg/kg intravenous loading dose of caffeine citrate within 48 hours after birth
were investigated prospectively. Regional splanchnic oxygen saturation (rsSO2) and splanchnic fractional tissue oxygen extraction rate (sFTOE) were measured using
near-infrared spectroscopy before caffeine infusion, immediately after caffeine infusion
and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 hours (h) after dose completion; postdose values were compared
with predose values.
Results A total of 41 infants with a mean GA of 29.2 ± 1.6 weeks and birth weight of 1,315 ± 257 g
as well as postnatal age of 32.2 ± 10.8 hours were included in the study. rsSO2 significantly reduced from 63.1 to 57.5% immediately after caffeine infusion, 55.1%
after 1 hour, and 55.2% after 2 hours with partial recovery at 3-hour postdose. sFTOE
increased correspondingly.
Conclusion Caffeine reduces splanchnic oxygenation and increases splanchnic oxygen extraction
for at least 2 hours with partial recovery to predose levels at 3-hour postdose.
Keywords
caffeine - near infrared spectroscopy - preterm infant - regional tissue oxygenation
- splanchnic oxygenation
