Effects of non-invasive respiratory support on sleep in preterm infants evaluated by actigraphy

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have evaluated sleep in preterm infants under non-invasive ventilatory support in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the sleep of premature babies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Crossover study in a NICU. We selected preterm infants with gestational age between 28 and 37 weeks using nasal CPAP. Eighteen preterm were included. Patients were monitored with actigraphy and with the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). RESULTS: Results showed a reduction in sleep effciency, total sleep time and total sleep period during the CPAP period when compared to the non-CPAP. NBAS demonstrated significantly greater time of deep sleep and light sleep in the period without CPAP. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that the use of CPAP, during the first week of life, in preterm neonates, is associated with transitory alterations of sleep organization.