title: Prescription of home oxygen therapy to very low birth weight infants in Germany: a nationwide survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no consensus on prescription of home oxygen therapy to infants in Germany. We hypothesized that this causes considerable variability in prescribing home oxygen to infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured questionnaire involving management of home oxygen therapy was sent to all German pediatric departments (n = 293).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response rate was 84% (247/293). SpO2 cutoff values below which oxygen therapy was considered indicated showed a wide range (80% to 94%, mean 90%). Respondents admitting >50 very low birth weight infants annually significantly more frequently prescribed home oxygen (P < .001) and aimed for SpO2 levels closer to the physiological range than those admitting less very low birth weight infants (P = .046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of pediatric home oxygen therapy is diverse in Germany. Optimal SpO2 targets have to be further investigated by controlled studies and German guidelines should be established. Until then practice should abide by existing foreign guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.affiliation: Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: Beke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boberski
authors.affiliation: Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bohnhorst
authors.affiliation: Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany Pirr.Sabine@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pirr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: SpO2 cutoff level; SpO2 target; bronchopulmonary dysplasia; hypoxemia; preterm infants