Effects of Different Onset Times of Early Caffeine Treatment on Mesenteric Tissue Oxygenation and Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Prospective, Randomized Study

Objective Caffeine treatment is routinely used in premature infants to prevent development of apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Although a limited number of studies have reported that early caffeine treatment may cause development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by reducing mesenteric blood flow, this issue is still under discussion. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible effect of different onset times of early caffeine treatment on mesenteric tissue oxygen saturation and NEC development in premature infants. Study Design A total of 87 preterm infants with ≤1,250-g birth weight (BW) was included in this prospective study. The cases were randomized as group 1 (first 24 hours) and group 2 (72nd hour) caffeine treatment groups and monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for 72 hours from the time of admission until cerebral, renal, and mesenteric tissue oxygen saturations (rSO2) were recorded. The cases were followed-up to the 40th week in terms of NEC and other neonatal morbidities. Results A total of 87 infants were included in the study, including 45 in group 1 and 42 in group 2. The groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics. The incidence of NEC in group 1 (20%) was higher in comparison to group 2 (9%). The mesenteric rSO2 values in the first 72 hours of group 1 were lower than those of group 2. Low gestational week, BW, and late onset of enteral feeding were found to be other significant risk factors for NEC. Conclusion In this study, mesenteric tissue oxygenation was lower, and NEC was higher in group 1. Mesenteric rSO2 measurements may be useful in predicting the development of NEC in patients receiving early caffeine therapy. Key Points