%0 Journal Article %A Kerstin Jost %A Alexandre N. Datta %A Urs Frey %A Béla Suki %A Sven M. Schulzke %T Heart rate variability predicts duration of respiratory support in preterm infants %D 2016 %R 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA1291 %J European Respiratory Journal %P PA1291 %V 48 %N suppl 60 %X Background: Very preterm/ very low birth weight infants are known to be a high-risk population. A better understanding of autonomic dysregulation, such as poor control of breathing and heart rate, and its resolution would be very desirable.Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, single centre, observational study in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University Children's Hospital Basel, Switzerland. We performed surface diaphragmatic electromyography (EMG) measurements (Polybench; Inbiolab) to derive heart rate variability (HRV). EMG measurements lasted for three hours, during the first five days of life in very preterm/ very low birth weight infants. HRV analysis included descriptive outcomes, sample entropy and detrended fluctuation analysis. Statistical analysis included linear regression analysis between HRV parameters and perinatal data of the infant.Results: We performed HRV analysis of 309 surface EMG measurements in 76 infants, born at mean (standard deviation (SD)) 30.2 (2.2) weeks gestational age and with a birth weight of mean (SD) 1274 (344) g. A multivariable linear regression analysis showed an additive value of sample entropy after correction for demographic factors to predict total duration of respiratory support. The final model explained 53% of the variability in duration of respiratory support between infants.Conclusion: We conclude that characterizing dynamics of HRV might provide a non-invasive opportunity to improve prediction of maturation in autonomic control. This might ultimately reduce patient risk and costs of hospitalization. %U