Central venous pressure in preterm infants.

Right atrial A-wave, mean and inspiratory pressures were measured serially every 6 h in 36 preterm infants--24 healthy and 12 with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)--from the 2nd until 24th h of age. In healthy preterm infants, the right atrial A-wave averaged + 4.91 mm Hg with a range of + 2 and + 8 mm Hg and the right atrial mean pressure averaged + 1.62 with a range of -3 to + 4 mm Hg. Preterm infants developed RDS had significantly lower right atrial pressure (RAP) during the first 6 h of life than healthy preterm infants. RAP in preterm infants with RDS subsequently increased to normal range. RAP did not have any correlation with either birth weight or gestational age.