Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of overnight polysomnography (PSG) in assessing pulmonary reserve in stable preterm children with chronic lung disease (CLD). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review and descriptive study of overnight PSGs and clinic visits of preterm infants/children less than 3 years of age who were diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia at discharge from the hospital and enrolled in the Johns Hopkins CLD patient registry between 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: Sixty-two clinically stable patients underwent at least one overnight polysomnogram for clinical indications. The majority of patients were referred for oxygen titration (71%). PSGs from first studies revealed a mean respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 8.2 ± 10.1 events/hr and a mean O(2) saturation (SaO(2) ) nadir of 86.2 ± 5.7%. In patients who underwent more than one PSG (n = 23), a significant decrease in RDI (P < 0.001) was found between the first study (mean age: 8.0 ± 3.3 months) and second study (mean age: 13.4 ± 5.2 months). Outpatient clinical measures of mean room air SaO(2) and respiratory rate were not predictive of PSG measures of RDI and SaO(2) nadir. CONCLUSION: Mean RDI was higher in stable preterm infants/children with CLD compared to previously published controls. RDI decreased with age in stable preterm infants/children with CLD suggesting improved pulmonary reserve with age. Outpatient clinical measures (respiratory rate and room air SaO(2) ) did not correlate with RDI and SaO(2) nadir indicating that overnight PSG is more sensitive in assessing pulmonary reserve than outpatient clinical measures.