Sleep Medicine
Volume 10, Issue 4 , Pages 464-470, April 2009

Pacifier use does not alter the frequency or duration of spontaneous arousals in sleeping infants

  • Marie Hanzer

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Styria, Austria
    • ,
  • Heinz Zotter

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Styria, Austria
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +43 316 385 80531; fax: +43 316 385 3300.
    • ,
  • Werner Sauseng

      Affiliations

    • Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Austria
    • ,
  • Klaus Pfurtscheller

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Styria, Austria
    • ,
  • Wilhelm Müller

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 30, 8036 Graz, Styria, Austria
    • ,
  • Reinhold Kerbl

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, Hospital of Leoben, Vordernberger Straße 42, 8700 Leoben, Austria

Received 12 November 2007; received in revised form 11 March 2008; accepted 15 March 2008.

Abstract 

Objective

It has been reported that pacifiers might reduce the risk of SIDS by favouring infants’ arousability from sleep. We evaluated the influence of a pacifier on the frequency and duration of spontaneous arousals in healthy infants.

Methods

Polygraphic recordings were performed in 14 infants with an age of 51.7±19.9 days (means±SD) who regularly used a pacifier during sleep. Cortical and subcortical arousals were scored according to the recommendations of the “International Paediatric Work Group on Arousals.” The number of arousals per 10-min-period and the duration of arousals were determined for periods of pacifier use as well as for periods after pacifier dislodgement and were compared with the data of 10 control infants (age 49.8±16.5 days) who never used a pacifier.

Results

Altogether, 211 arousals in pacifier users and 225 arousals in non-users were scored. In pacifier users, 2.0±1.6 arousals per 10-min-period with a duration of 12.2±3.0s occurred during pacifier use, and 1.7±1.6 arousals per 10-min-period with a duration of 12.2±3.1s occurred during periods without pacifier. In pacifier non-users, 2.3±1.2 arousals per 10-min-period (duration 13.9±2.9s) were scored. The results did not show a significant difference concerning frequency and duration of spontaneous arousals between pacifier users and non-users.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that factors other than arousal mechanisms might be responsible for the efficacy of pacifiers in SIDS prophylaxis.

Abbreviations: AS, active sleep, CA, cortical arousal, QS, quiet sleep, SCA, subcortical arousal, SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Keywords: Pacifier, Spontaneous arousal, Induced arousal, Polysomnography, Infant, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

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PII: S1389-9457(08)00101-9

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2008.03.014

Sleep Medicine
Volume 10, Issue 4 , Pages 464-470, April 2009

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