Caffeine use to regulate breathing of very preterm babies, long-term benefits

Very premature babies who were given caffeine to regulate their breathing have a significantly lower incidence of disabilities at the age of two years, according to an international study led by researchers at McMaster University. Researchers studied more than 2000 premature babies who were either treated with caffeine or given a placebo. The latest results of this large clinical trial will appear in the Nov. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Babies receiving the caffeine were less likely to develop cerebral palsy and cognitive delay. Caffeine and similar drugs have been used for more than 30 years to make the breathing of very preterm babies more regular, but without...

Want to see the full article?

• Purchase this article for only $3.00