title: Prevalence of hypoxemia in under-five children with pneumonia in an emergency pediatrics hospital in Sudan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypoxemia is a common and potentially lethal complication of acute respiratory infection in children under-five, particularly among those with severe disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypoxemia in under-five Sudanese children with pneumonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study conducted in a pediatrics hospital in a developing country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using structured questionnaire and oxygen saturation was measured using a pulse oximeter. Hypoxemia was defined as arterial blood oxygen saturation <90%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 150 studied patients, 86 (57.3%) were males and 46 (32%) were in the age group 2 to ≤12 months. Of the total number, 42.7% had hypoxemia (with pulse oximeter oxygen saturation <90%), out of them 36 (56.25%) were in the age group <2 months. Of the hypoxic patients, 30 (46.88%) had severe pneumonia, and 7 (10.94) had very severe pneumonia (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hypoxemia was 42.7% among the studied population. There was a significant association between the hypoxemia and small age group and very severe pneumonia. In limited resource settings pulse oximeter can be used to correctly identify hypoxemia in under-five children particularly among those diagnosed clinically as very severe pneumonia.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors: Elmuntasir Taha
authors: ET
authors: Salah
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Nursing, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors: Samah Hamadnalla
authors: SH
authors: Algasim
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors: Alamin Saeed
authors: AS
authors: Mhamoud
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman, Sudan.
authors: Nazik Elmalaika Obaid Seid Ahmed
authors: NE
authors: Husian
keywords: Children; Sudan; hypoxemia; pneumonia; pulse oximeter