The Open Emergency Medicine Journal

2010, 3 : 1-2
Published online 2010 February 23. DOI: 10.2174/1876542401003010001
Publisher ID: TOEMJ-3-1

Failure of Caffeine to Ameliorate Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Induced Apnea

Dante Allen Pappano
Department of Emergency Medicine, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Knoxville, TN, USA

ABSTRACT

Caffeine and other methylxanthines have been reported to be effective in preventing the need of invasive airway support in cases of respiratory virus-associated apnea. However, the reliability of the reported effect is not known. We report a case of RSV-induced apnea in an infant in which 10mg/kg of intravenous caffeine did not prevent the need for intubation and mechanical ventilation.

Keywords:

Apnea, caffeine, respiratory syncytial virus.