title: Can clinical signs predict hypoxaemia in Papua New Guinean children with moderate and severe pneumonia?
abstract: Pulse oximetry was performed on 77 children admitted with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) to the children's ward in Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea over a 4-month period in 2002. Clinical findings were correlated with different levels of hypoxaemia, <93%, <90% and <85%. Cyanosis, head nodding and drowsiness were good predictors of hypoxia but lacked sensitivity. Decisions to use oxygen based on these signs would therefore result in a significant number of children with hypoxia not receiving oxygen. Pulse oximetry is the best indicator of hypoxaemia in children with ALRI and, although relatively expensive, its use might be cost-effective in controlling oxygen requirements.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Child Health, Division of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laman
authors.forename: Paulus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ripa
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vince
authors.forename: Nakapi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tefuarani
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen