Desaturation events in neonates during mechanical ventilation.

Abstract

This study examines the accuracy of oxygen saturation measured by Nellcor N200 pulse oximetry (SpO2) compared with arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) measured through a three-wavelength fiberoptic umbilical catheter in 10 neonates who needed mechanical ventilation. Real-time SaO2 was validated with a reference method every 4 hours. Oxygen saturation readings (SaO2 and SpO2), along with pulse rate and pulsation, were recorded continuously every second through a computer. Concurrent care events and neonatal responses were recorded. Data were completed on 10 neonates who had an umbilical arterial catheter. Desaturation events (<90%) as measured by both SaO2 and SpO2 were described and compared. A total of 959 desaturation events occurred during an average of 51 hours of monitoring per subject. Of these events, 63% were associated with frozen SPO2 readings, and 18% of frozen readings occurred when SaO2 was <90%. Bias for SpO2 compared with SaO2 was +5.03%, with 5.6% of the readings outside the range of two standard deviations. However, 67% of the readings exceeded the 4% difference criterion between measurements. Future studies need to examine the desaturation events in relation to oxygenation status as measured by different methods.