Apnea associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection in young infants.

The hospital charts of 274 infants under 6 months of age with culture-proved respiratory syncytial virus infections were reviewed. Fifty-six infants (20.4%) demonstrated apnea in association with RSV infection. Predisposing factors significantly correlated with apnea included premature birth and young chronologic age at the time of virus infection. The clinical implications of this association are discussed.