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Clinical Trial
. 2022 Jan;64(1):e15129.
doi: 10.1111/ped.15129.

Oxygen saturation targets in pediatric respiratory disease

Akito Nagakura  1 , Yoshihiko Morikawa  2 , Nao Takasugi  1 , Hanako Funakoshi  1 , Yoko Miura  1 , Tomomi Ota  1 , Ayumi Shimizu  1 , Keisuke Shimizu  1 , Shoichiro Shirane  1 , Hiroshi Hataya  1
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Oxygen saturation targets in pediatric respiratory disease

Akito Nagakura et al. Pediatr Int. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to assess the appropriate oxygen saturation target in patients with pediatric respiratory diseases by lowering the oxygen saturation target from SpO2 94% to 90%. No previous study has explored appropriate oxygen saturation targets in respiratory diseases other than bronchiolitis.

Methods: The present, prospective, single-arm intervention trial enrolled pediatric inpatients with bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma. The oxygen saturation target was lowered from SpO2 94% to 90% after the patients' general condition improved. The patients continued to be observed for 12 h after achieving SpO2 94%. The duration from the first cut-off point (SpO2 90% for 12 h without oxygen) to the second cut-off point (SpO2 94% for 12 h) was then evaluated.

Results: In total, 248 patients completed the study. Patients with bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma had an interval between the two cut-off points of 23.9, 15.5, 19.1, and 13.8 h, respectively, (mean 17.2 h; 95% confidence interval 15.0-19.5).

Conclusions: In generally healthy children, setting the oxygen saturation target at SpO2 90% after confirming improvement in their general condition was safe. The time required for increasing SpO2 from 90% to 94% was longest in the patients with bronchiolitis.

Keywords: oxygen saturation target; oxygen therapy; respiratory disease.

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