title: Arterial oxygen desaturation during non-sedated diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
abstract: We studied oxygen saturation (SaO2) using a pulse oximeter in 120 patients undergoing non-sedated diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The baseline SaO2 was 98.3 +/- 1.0%. During the procedure, absence of oxygen desaturation (SaO2 > or = 95%) was found in 56%, mild oxygen desaturation (95% > SaO2 > or = 90%) in 35%, and severe oxygen desaturation (SaO2 < 90%) in 9%. Age (p = 0.56), gender (p = 0.47), smoking (p = 0.35), hemoglobin level (p = 0.52), body mass index (p = 0.27), or total endoscopy time (p = 0.72) was not related to the degree of oxygen desaturation. These results suggest that oxygen desaturation is frequently observed during non-sedated diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy although severe oxygen desaturation, which may induce rare but serious cardiopulmonary events, is not common. Furthermore, we cannot predict in which patients desaturation will occur. We therefore recommend continuous monitoring of arterial oxygenation in all patients during the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toyonaga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen