OBJECTIVETo explore the association between hyperbilirubinemia and apnea in premature infants.

METHODSPremature infants with apnea and birth weight >1500 g were tested for the heart rate, serum level of bilirubin, saturation of blood oxygen (SO₂) and partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) before and after treatment, with term infants serving as the control. A comparative analyses of the serum level of bilirubin, SO₂ and PO₂ were carried out in the premature infants with birth weight <1500 g suffering apneic syndrome or not on the first and third days after birth.

RESULTSOf the premature and term infants with apnea and birth weight <1500 g, 92.5% and 70.00% showed increased serum level of indirect bilirubin (IBIL), respectively. The infants with birth weight <1500 g who presented the syndrome of apnea on the first day after birth had significantly higher levels of IBIL than those without an apparent syndrome of apnea. A three-day conventional therapy resulted in an obvious improvement of apneic syndrome and lowered bilirubin level.

CONCLUSIONIncreased bilirubin level can be one of the reasons for the development of apnea in premature infants, and therapies for reducing bilirubin level can ameliorate the syndrome of apnea.