American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2015
Comparative StudyAmpakines Enhance Weak Endogenous Respiratory Drive and Alleviate Apnea in Perinatal Rats.
Apnea of prematurity, which is prevalent among infants born at less than 34 weeks gestation, is treated with caffeine, theophylline, or aminophylline. However, not all newborns respond adequately to, or tolerate, methylxanthine administration, and thus alternative pharmacological therapies are required. ⋯ The net effect of ampakine enhancement of respiratory drive in perinatal rodents is a marked increase in ventilation and the regularity of respiratory patterns in perinatal rat preparations. Importantly, from the perspective of clinical applications, CX1739 readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, is metabolically stable, and has passed through phase I and II clinical trials in adults.