Comparison of respiratory physiologic features when infants are placed in car safety seats or car beds.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare the respiratory physiologic features of healthy term infants placed in either a car bed or a car safety seat.


METHODS
Within the first 1 week of life, 67 healthy term infants were recruited and assigned randomly to be monitored in either a car bed (33 infants) or a car safety seat (34 infants). Physiologic data, including oxygen saturation and frequency and type of apnea, were obtained and analyzed in a blinded manner.


RESULTS
The groups spent similar amounts of time in the devices (car bed: 71.6 minutes; car seat: 74.2 minutes). The mean oxygen saturation values were not different between the groups (car bed: 97.1%; car seat: 97.3%). The percentages of time with oxygen saturation of < 95% were also similar for the 2 groups (car bed: 11.8[corrected]%; car seat: 18.3[corrected]%). In both groups, a number of infants spent high percentages of study time with oxygen saturation of < 95%. The 6 infants with the most time at this level were all in the car safety seat group (54%-63% of study time). Values for the 6 infants in the car bed group with the most time at this level were lower (20%-42%). This difference in the duration of oxygen saturation of < 95% was not statistically significant. The mean end-tidal carbon dioxide levels and the numbers of episodes of apnea were similar for the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The respiratory physiologic features of infants in the 2 car safety devices were observed to be similar. Of note, substantial periods of time with oxygen saturation of < 95% were surprisingly common in both groups.
Kinane
T Bernard
TB
Pediatric Pulmonary Unit, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. tkinane@partners.org
Murphy
Joan
J
Bass
Joel L
JL
Corwin
Michael J
MJ
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001049:Apnea / Q000453:epidemiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004867:Equipment Design; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D015370:Infant Equipment; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011187:Posture; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen