Document Type
Article
Department
Paediatrics and Child Health (East Africa); Brain and Mind Institute
Abstract
Background Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is a common condition among preterm infants. Methylxanthines, such as cafeine and aminophylline/theophylline, can help prevent and treat AOP. Due to its physiological benefts and fewer side efects, cafeine citrate is recommended for the prevention and treatment of AOP. However, cafeine citrate is not available in most resource-constrained settings (RCS) due to its high cost. Challenges in RCS using caffeine citrate to prevent AOP include identifying eligible preterm infants where gestational age is not always known and the capability for continuous monitoring of vital signs to readily identify apnoea. We aim to develop an evidencebased care bundle that includes cafeine citrate to prevent and manage AOP in tertiary healthcare facilities in Kenya.
Methods This protocol details a prospective mixed-methods clinical feasibility study on using cafeine citrate to manage apnoea of prematurity in a single facility tertiary-care newborn unit (NBU) in Nairobi, Kenya. This study will include a 4-month formative research phase followed by the development of an AOP clinical-care-bundle prototype over 2 months. In the subsequent 4 months, implementation and improvement of the clinical-care-bundle prototype will be undertaken. The baseline data will provide contextualised insights on care practices within the NBU that will inform the development of a context-sensitive AOP clinical-care-bundle prototype. The clinical care bundle will be tested and refned further during an implementation phase of the quality improvement initiative using a PDSA framework underpinned by quantitative and qualitative clinical audits and stakeholders’ engagement. The quantitative component will include all neonates born at gestation age<34 weeks and any neonate prescribed aminophylline or cafeine citrate admitted to the NBU during the study period.
Discussion There is a need to develop evidence-based and context-sensitive clinical practice guidelines to standardise and improve the management of AOP in RCS. Concerns requiring resolution in implementing such guidelines include diagnosis of apnoea, optimal timing, dosing and administration of cafeine citrate, standardisation of monitoring devices and alarm limits, and discharge protocols. We aim to provide a feasible standardised clinical care bundle for managing AOP in low and middle-income settings
Publication (Name of Journal)
Implementation Science Communications
Recommended Citation
Irimu, G.,
Okwaro, F.,
Coleman, J.,
Waiyego, M.,
Chomba, D.,
Parsimei, M.,
Shitote, C.,
Ochieng, R.,
Shah, J.,
Macharia, W.
(2023). Developing and testing a clinical care bundle incorporating caffeine citrate to manage apnoea of prematurity in a resource-constrained setting: a mixed methods clinical feasibility study protocol. Implementation Science Communications, 4, 1-12.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_paediatr_child_health/330
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.