Individualised pulse oximetry limits in neonatal intensive care.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether individualised limits for arterial oxyhaemaglobin saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO(2)) are more effective for detecting hypoxia and hyperoxia in sick newborn infants than setting fixed limits.


METHODS
Six hundred and ninety two simultaneous measurements of SpO(2) and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO(2)) were made in 95 infants. The sensitivity and specificity for predicting hypoxia and hyperoxia using various fixed SpO(2) limits and also individualised SpO(2) limits, calculated using a standard equation, were determined and compared.


RESULTS
None of the fixed limits for SpO(2) was both sensitive and specific for predicting hypoxia and/or hyperoxia. There was no difference between these and individualised limits.


CONCLUSIONS
Individualised SpO(2) limits are no more effective than fixed SpO(2) limits for predicting hypoxia and/or hyperoxia in sick newborn infants. SpO(2) monitoring is not an ideal method for assessing PaO(2).
Gupta
R
R
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool L8 7SS.
Yoxall
C W
CW
Subhedar
N
N
Shaw
N J
NJ
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018496:Hyperoxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*