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Apnea in infants hospitalized with pertussis: Incidence and gestational smoking association. BACKGROUND: Apnea is a life-threatening complication of pertussis, now a re-emerging cause of infant hospitalization worldwide. The incidence of apnea during pertussis ranges widely. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the incidence of apnea in hospitalized infants diagnosed with pertussis and to identify relevant risk factors for apnea. METHODS: This was a retrospective analytical study. We included children hospitalized with pertussis at a tertiary hospital during a 5 year period from 2010 to 2015. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) were obtained in all subjects. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to test NPA samples for Bordetella pertussis. The daily charts were assessed to identify inpatients with apnea. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent risk factors for inpatient apnea. RESULTS: Inpatient apnea was identified in 51 of 147 infants with pertussis confirmation (34.7%: 95%CI: 27-42%). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was the only statistically significant, independent predictor of inpatient apnea (OR: 4.48; 95%CI: 1.35-14.8). No statistically significant association was found with gender, corrected age; birthweight, caregiver smoking; lactation, weight at admission <3rd percentile, or hematological parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of pertussis apnea was nearly one in three hospitalized infants, and was fourfold more frequent in infants whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.