Peng. Niang-Huei
Taiwan
Biography:
Abstract:
Background: Apnea of prematurity (AOP), the most common and frequently-recurring problem for preterm infants, is a major concern for caregivers in intensive care nurseries. Study of possible interventions for management of AOP in preterm infants is an urgent research issue. Aims: This research was to develop an infant’s nest that can detect the events of apnea and low oxygen saturation on preterm infants and synchronized initiate the automatically physiological feed-back stimulations for interrupting the periods of apnea and low oxygen saturation of preterm infants or neonates. In addition, we will conduct a clinical research to examine the safety, accuracy and effectiveness of this prototype device for monitoring and interrupting apneic events in infants during hospitalization and homecare. Methods: This research includes two stages of studies and will expend two years to reach research purposes. In the first year, we innovate an assembled infant’s nest that comprises the function of detecting physiological signals of neonates, and function of alerting and automated feed-back initiating stimulations to preterm infants who suffering the apnea and low oxygen saturation. In the second year, we will conduct a clinical research to examine the function of this device. Preliminary Research: Research subjects were six preterm infants. During the research periods, ten episodes of apnea were observed. Automatic stimulations successfully interrupted these ten apneic events in 6 participants by 100% after they received the first or second stimulation (maternal voices or tactile stimulation). Clinical staff did not notice an observe change in the preterm infants’ arousal state related to receive the automatic stimulations during apneic events. Conclusion: We expect using this assembled infant’s nest for infant’s homecare that can effectively prevents the events of apnea and low oxygen saturation in infants and decreases the stress of homecare providers.