<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the
clinical efficacy and
safety of
caffeine citrate and
aminophylline in the
treatment of primary
apnea in
premature infants.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>The clinical data of 125
premature infants with primary
apnea from March 2013 to March 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the
therapeutic strategy, the
patients were divided into
caffeine citrate group (n=65) and
aminophylline group (n=60). The overall response rates and adverse reaction rates in the two groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall response rate in the
caffeine citrate group was 86% (56 cases), which was significantly higher than that in the
aminophylline group (72%, 43 cases) (P<0.05). The adverse reactions in the
caffeine citrate group included
tachycardia (1 case),
restlessness (5 cases),
feeding intolerance (7 cases),
electrolyte disturbance (2 cases), and high
blood glucose (5 cases), the
incidence of which was significantly lower than that in the
aminophylline group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>
Caffeine citrate is more effective and causes fewer adverse reactions than
aminophylline in the
treatment of primary
apnea in
premature infants.</p>