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Observational study of two oxygen saturation targets for discharge in bronchiolitis
  1. Steve Cunningham1,
  2. Ann McMurray1
  1. 1Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK
  1. Correspondence toDr Steve Cunningham, Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LF, UK; steve.cunningham{at}nhs.net

Abstract

Objectives To assess the potential effect of two guideline discharge oxygen saturation (SpO2) recommendations (≥90% and ≥94%) in recovering bronchiolitis.

Methods and patients Infants aged up to 18 months requiring therapeutic oxygen for SpO2 (≤93%) had SpO2 assessed in air every 2 h. Time from admission to re-establish feeding (>75% normal) and for SpO2 to become stable for at least 4 h at ≥90% and ≥94% were noted.

Results 68 infants, median age 14 weeks, were included. Feeding problems resolved at a median of 11 h (inter-quartile range, IQR 0–47). SpO2 became stable for at least 4 h at 17 h (IQR 0–49) for ≥90% and 63 h (IQR 34–105) for ≥94%. Time for infants to achieve a stable SpO2≥90% and resolve feeding difficulties was a median of 22 h (IQR 7–39 h) sooner than the equivalent for stable SpO2≥94%.

Conclusions Accepting lower SpO2 at discharge could significantly reduce length of stay, but require the clinical and safety effects to be studied.

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Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.