| Title | Prediction of a Chronobiologic Index for Neonatal Cardiovascular Risk Estimation |
| Author(s) | R.C. Hermida, J.R. Fernandez, D.E. Ayala, A. Rey, J.R. Cervilla, J.M. Fraga |
| Source | Proceedings of the Fourth Annual IEEE Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems, Pages 63-69 |
| ISBN | 0-8186-2164-8 |
| Publisher | IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA |
| Publication Date | 12-May-91 |
| Abstract | During the first two days after birth, the primary risk factor for the predisposition of a newborn to elevated blood pressure (BP) later in life is heredity. An index for this factor is needed to assess, on the neonate, the success or failure of preventive interventions instituted on the pregnant women (such as dietary suppplements of calcium and/or magnesium, weight control, etc., to which the family history obviously cannot respond). This index could be based on characterisitics of BP and heart rate (HR) variabilty during the first two days after birth. In the search for such an index, the systolic and diastolic BP and HR of 127 newborns were automatically monitored at about 30-minute intervals for 48 hours with a Nippon Colin (Komaki, Japan) device, starting shortly after birth. Circadian characterisitcs and descriptive statistics for the three circulatory variables were used in a multiple regression analysis to compute a linear prediction function for a cardiovascular risk score (CRS). This discrete variable was obtained for each neonate on the basis of the presence or absence of overt cardiovascular disease, elevated BP or obesity across 2 generations of his family. Results from regression indicate that the best model includes the circadian amplitudes of systolic and diastolic BP and the circadian ranges of systolic BP and HR. The results provide a neonatal index of cardiovascular risk, to be used for the evaluation of the effects on the newborn of intervention on the pregnant women. |