Abstract
Eighty-two consecutive infants born through meconium stained amniotic fluid were prospectively followed to determine the incidence of tachypnea (respiratory rate greater than 50 during a 24 hour period) at the time of discharge. These infants represented 8.3% of all deliveries during the study period. Eighty-five percent were intubated in the delivery room; 39% had meconium aspirated from below the vocal cords. All infants received percussion and suctioning after birth. Seventy percent of the infants were born vaginally and 30% by caesarean section. The study population had a mean birth weight of 3420 grams, gestational age of 40.1 weeks, 1 minute Apgar of 6, 5 minute Apgar of 8. Respiratory rates were recorded every four hours until discharge or until normal for 24 hours.
Twenty infants (24%) were still tachypneic at discharge; 16 were born vaginally and 4 by caesarean section. Nonparametric correlation coefficient and multivariable discriminate analysis revealed no predictability of the recorded variables (route of delivery, 1 minute Apgar, 5 minute Apgar, birth weight, gestational age, presence of meconium below the vocal cords) with tachypnea. Tachypnea at discharge following meconium aspiration has not been previously described. The pathophysiology of tachypnea in these infants requires further study.
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Zubrow, A., Driscoll, J., Stefanski, M. et al. 1475 INCIDENCE OF TACHYPNEA FOLLOWING MECONIUM ASPIRATION. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 689 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01504
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01504
