Background: Oxygen supplementation is an important component for preterm
infants neonatal care. Pulse oximetry (SpO2) is essential to guide
oxygen therapy. Evidence on SpO2 values in premature infants previous to
discharge is limited. Objectives: To establish SpO2 values in
asymptomatic premature infants at 34, 35, and 36 weeks postmenstrual age
(PMA). Methods: Longitudinal, multicentric study. From May 2018 to May
2019 premature infants born ≤32 weeks gestational age, from three level
III NICUs in Santiago, Chile (altitude 579mt), were enrolled. Healthy
children without current apnea of prematurity were included. Continuous
SpO2 was obtained with Masimo-Radical 7/8 (USA), averaging time 2-4
seconds. Results: 101 SpO2 recordings (n = 44, 33 and 24 at 34, 35 and
36 weeks PMA respectively) from 62 infants. Twenty eight (45%) male,
median (range) gestational age at birth 30 (26-32) weeks, median (range)
birth weight 1480 (785-2700) g. Oximetry variables for total recordings:
mean SpO2, median (range) 96.9 (93.3-99.3); minimum SpO2, median (range)
74 (51-89); time of SpO2 <90%, median (range) 2% (0-10.6%);
time of SpO2 <80%, median (range) 0.1% (0-1.3%);
desaturation event by ≥4% (DI4) ≥ 0 and ≥ 10 seconds per sample hour,
median (range) 45.2 (5.2-115) and median (range) 15 (3.5-62.5)
respectively; desaturation event <80% (DI80), median (range)
0.58 (0-10.8). We found no differences between SpO2 values at different
weeks PMA. Conclusions: We described SpO2 values in very preterm
infants, asymptomatic at 34, 35 and 36 weeks PMA. These values could be
used as a reference to guide oxygen therapy previous to discharge.
Accuracy of two pulse-oximetry measurements for INTELLiVENT-ASV in mechanically ventilated patients: a prospective observational study
