title: Hypoxia Challenge Testing in Neonates for Fitness to Fly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preflight hypoxia challenge testing (HCT) in a body plethysmograph has previously been done only on infants >3 months of corrected gestational age (CGA). This study aims to determine the earliest fit-to-fly age by testing neonates <1 week old.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study was carried out on 3 groups of infants: healthy term infants ≤7 days old, preterm infants (≥34 weeks CGA) 2 to 3 days before discharge, and preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). HCT was conducted using a body plethysmograph with a 15% fraction of inspired oxygen. The oxygen saturation (Spo2) test fail point was <85%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four term (mean CGA 40 weeks), 62 preterm (37 weeks), and 23 preterm with BPD (39.5 weeks) infants were tested. One term infant (4.2%) and 12 preterm infants without BPD (19.4%) failed. Sixteen (69.3%) preterm infants with BPD failed (P < .001), with a median drop in Spo2 of 16%. At 39 weeks CGA, neither preterm infants without BPD nor term infants had an Spo2 <85%. However, 7 of 12 term infants with BPD failed the HCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Term and preterm infants without BPD born at >39 weeks CGA do not appear to be likely to desaturate during a preflight HCT and so can be deemed fit to fly according to current British Thoracic Society Guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Neonatology and vettersusan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vetter-Laracy
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Osona
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Peña-Zarza
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Figuerola
mesh_terms: D000337:Aerospace Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010991:Plethysmography / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen