title: Feasibility of pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease at 2643-foot elevation.
abstract: To evaluate the feasibility of implementing a pulse oximetry screening protocol at a city of mild elevation with a specific focus on the false-positive screening rate. Pulse oximetry screening was performed according to the proposed guidelines endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics at a center in Tucson, AZ, at an elevation of 2,643 ft (806 m). During a 10-month period in 2012, 1069 full-term asymptomatic newborns were screened ≥ 24 h after birth. The mean preductal oxygen saturation was 98.5 ± 1.3 % (range 92-100 %), and the mean postductal oxygen saturation was 98.6 ± 1.3 % (range 94-100 %). Of 1,069 patients screened, 7 were excluded secondary to protocol violations, and 1 screened positive. An echocardiogram was performed on the newborn with the positive screen, and it was normal with the exception of right-to-left shunting across a patent foramen ovale. The false-positive rate was 1/1,062 or 0.094 %. The pulse oximetry screening guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics are feasible at an elevation of 2,643 ft (806 m) with a low false-positive rate. Adjustments to the protocol are not required for centers at elevations ≤ 2,643 ft. Future studies at greater elevations are warranted.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Lucy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Klewer
authors.forename: Karin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Seckeler
authors.forename: Brent J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Barber
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D016638:Critical Illness; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results