Abstract

Polysomnographic findings were compared with data obtained subsequently from home documented monitoring in order to study the diagnostic value of both techniques. Polysomnography was performed in 1274 infants born prematurely and in 422 patients admitted because of apparent life threatening events (ALTEs). In 72 of the infants, home documented monitoring of the cardiorespiratory pattern, including QRS complexes, was performed. Subsequent documented episodes of heart rate < 50 beats/min were considered as “serious life threatening events”. It was confirmed that polysomnographic findings correlated well with subsequent events as registered by home documented monitoring. Especially in the ALTE group where both infants with and without abnormal polysomnography were home monitored, the single polysomnography significantly predicted subsequent life threatening events. Home documented monitoring of the cardiorespiratory pattern has a distinctive advantage over simple cardiorespiratory monitoring as a means to identify and document life threatening events, in addition to its value as a rescue device.