Medical Science Books Medical Book Review:

The book “Respiratory Control and Disorders in the Newborn”, edited by Dr. Oomen Mathew, is Volume 173 of the series on Lung Biology in Health and Disease. This book is an excellent review of the concepts underlying the physiology and pathophysiology of respiratory control disorders in the newborn, and would be of most value to neonatologists, pediatric pulmonologists, and developmental biologists. Fellows in training may wish to consult this book for obtaining a deeper understanding of concepts that are only superficially covered in standard textbooks of neonatal-perinatal medicine. This book is unique as there are no similar recent books in the field of neonatal respiratory control for comparison. At a list price of US $195, it may be more appropriate for institutional or departmental purchase, unless one is working in the same field and wishes to have a personal copy.

The book is broadly divided into two main parts. The first part dealing with respiratory control in the normal newborn has seven chapters and is approximately 210 pages long, while the second part focusing on disorders of respiratory control is more extensive at sixteen chapters and approximately 330 pages. As may be expected, the second part has a significant emphasis on apnea of prematurity. Each chapter has been written by authors who are well known for their quality and importance of original research in that field. These chapters form an in-depth review of the topic, starting from basic concepts and progressing to state of the art cellular and biochemical concepts. Chapters have also been extensively referenced, with references for most chapters ranging from the 1960s and 70s to very recent work in 2001-2002, including abstracts.

The first part of the book dealing with respiratory control in the normal newborn has chapters on comparative physiology and clinical disorders of respiratory control in the newborn, gasping and autoresuscitation, ontogeny of upper-and lower-airway innervation, chemical control of breathing from fetal through newborn life, upper airway muscle control during development, developmental trend of sleep characteristics in premature and full-term newborns, and metabolic and ventilatory interaction in the newborn.

The second part of the book dealing with disorders of respiratory control has chapters on respiratory control disorders, monitoring in the NICU, periodic breathing, apnea & bradycardia, the pathophysiology of apnea of prematurity, pharmacotherapy of apnea of prematurity, nonpharmacological management of apnea of prematurity, maturation of respiratory control, respiratory control during oral feeding, idiopathic congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, regulation of breathing in neuromuscular diseases, regulation of breathing in acute ventilatory failure, respiratory control in bronchopulmonary dysplasia, gastroesophageal reflux and related diseases, airway disorders in the newborn, and SIDS and the newborn infant.

As subsequent chapters are by different authors, the differences in style when moving from one chapter to another are evident. Each chapter is a complete review of the topic capable of standing independently, and hence it is not necessary to read through the book chapters sequentially in order to achieve understanding. However, it may be beneficial to browse the first part dealing with normal physiology before starting on the second part dealing with respiratory control disorders. The mix of clinical and research data in this book enables the clinician to appreciate the nature of extensive research that has been performed in this field, as well as the gaps in knowledge which still exist. The basic scientist is also benefited by the reference to clinical situations and studies on human infants, better enabling them to grasp the clinical focus and objectives in diagnosis and management. Most chapters are clearly written and have adequate illustrations to demonstrate the concepts although illustrations in a few chapters need improvement.

Overall, this book is highly recommended for those who wish an insightful and in-depth introduction to respiratory control and its disorders in the newborn.

Ratings (1-4 , 4 being the highest):

Organization of information:    4

Usefulness of book:     4

Suitable for intended audience:    4

Author’s objectives met:      4

Significant number of illustrations:     3.5

Quality of illustrations:    3

Table of Contents: 

Chapter 1.     Respiratory Control in the Newborn:  Comparative Physiology and Clinical Disorders

Chapter 2.     Gasping and Autoresuscitation

Chapter 3.     Ontogeny of Upper- and Lower-Airway Innervation

Chapter 4.     Chemical Control of Breathing from the Fetal Through Newborn Life

Chapter 5.     Upper-Airway Muscle Control During Development:  Application to Clinical Disorders That Occur in Premature Infants

Chapter 6.     Developmental Trend of Sleep Characteristics in Premature and Full-Term Newborns

Chapter 7.     Metabolic and Ventilatory Interaction in the Newborn

Chapter 8.     Respiratory Control Disorders: An Overview

Chapter 9.     Monitoring in the NICU

Chapter 10.   Periodic Breathing

Chapter 11.   Apnea, Bradycardia, and Desaturation: Clinical Issues

Chapter 12.   Pathophysiology of Apnea of Prematurity :  Implications from Observational Studies

Chapter 13.   Pharmacotherapy of Apnea of Prematurity

Chapter 14.   Nonpharmacological Management of Idiopathic Apnea of the Premature Infant

Chapter 15.   Maturation of Respiratory Control

Chapter 16.   Respiratory Control During Oral Feeding

Chapter 17.   Idiopathic Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome

Chapter 18.   Regulation of Breathing in Neuromuscular Diseases

Chapter 19.   Regulation of Breathing in Acute Ventilatory Failure

Chapter 20.   Respiratory Control in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Chapter 21.   Gastroesophageal Reflux and Related Diseases

Chapter 22.   Airway Disorders in the Newborn

Chapter 23.   SIDS and the Newborn Infant