Detection of previously unrecognized daytime desaturation in children with chronic lung disease.
OBJECTIVE
The prime rationale of this research is to investigate the possible occurrence of previously unrecognized episodes of desaturation apparent in preterm infants with chronic lung disease as they freely move around a non-artificial environment.


METHODS
The study comprises 58 hours of telemetric recordings of SpO2, heart rate, body movement and temperature, along with full ECG and photoplethysmographic waveforms for eight preterm subjects in their home environment. MAIN OUTCOME/RESULTS: The data is analysed for remarkable events, more particularly periods of spontaneous desaturation. Statistical results for all case studies are collated into a table along with examples of graphical analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that some patients are prone to episodes of hypoxemia during the course of normal daily activity or daytime sleep that would usually go unrecognized and that more effective management of supplemental oxygen treatment may be possible with continual unobtrusive monitoring.
Barratt
C W
CW
School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. carl.barratt@nottingham.ac.uk
Vyas
H
H
Hayes-Gill
B R
BR
Crowe
J A
JA
Flatman
D
D
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*