• Joar Eilevstjønn, Jørgen E Linde, Ladislaus Blacy, Hussein Kidanto, and Hege L Ersdal.
• Strategic Research, Laerdal Medical, P.O. Box 377, 4002 Stavanger, Norway.
• Resuscitation. 2020 Jul 1; 152: 69-76.

Aim Of The StudyDescribe the distribution of the first recorded heart rate (HR) in apnoeic term/near-term newborns, HR responses to basic resuscitation (no intubation, chest compressions and/or medication), and relationship to 24-h outcomes. We also document patient characteristics and care provider behaviour stratified by first HR.MethodsDescriptive study from July 2013 through June 2018 at Haydom Hospital in Tanzania. All deliveries were observed by assistants recording data. Bag-mask ventilation and ECG data were recorded by resuscitation monitors. Newborns with ≥5 ventilations and ECG signal-data were included.Results1237 term/near-term newborns with median (25th, 75th percentiles) gestation 38 (37, 40) weeks and birth weight 3140 (2750, 3500) grams fulfilled inclusion criteria. The first HR, measured median 102 (73, 144) s after birth following drying/stimulation, was distributed into two peaks with centres around 60 and 165 bpm, 51% were ≥100 bpm. After ventilation, the HR distribution shifted to a single-peak, with median 161 bpm. At least one low-high HR transition crossing 100 bpm was noted in 44% of newborns. The HR increase occurred over median 9.2 (6.2, 13) s, was 60 (43, 77) bpm, and 86% followed a ventilation sequence of 23 (16, 34) s duration. 72% of the newborns with first HR < 60 bpm survived following ventilations only. Both first and final HR were significantly related to 24-h outcomes.ConclusionsThe first recorded HR was distributed into two peaks on each side of 100 bpm. Ventilation increased HR in most newborns. Lower first and final HR were related to gradually more adverse 24-h outcomes.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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