Source: Annual Congress 2001 - Monitoring acute lung disease

Abstract

We evaluated oxyhemoglobin saturation by NPB40 pulse oxymeter (Nellcor Puritan Bennett) in 376 patients (188 males) during ambulance calls with doctor aboard. Patients were divided into three groups: G1 - 335 non trauma cases; G2 - 27 trauma cases; G3 - 14 transfers between hospitals. Mean age was 63.5±]22.7 years (M±]SD), males being younger than females (60.6±]22.3 vs 66.3±]22.6 years, p=0.015). SaO2 was evaluated before any oxygen was given; patients who required oxygen before SaO2 measurament were excluded from the study. A SaO2 value of 95-100% was considered normal, 92-94% borderline and <92% low. In G1, SaO2 was normal in 68% of cases (97.2±]1.5%), borderline in 16.2% (93.2±]0.86%) and low in 15.8% (81.6±]10.3%); in G2, it was normal in 88.9% (97.5±]1.6%), bordeline in 3.7% (93%) and low in 7.4% (87.5±]3.5%); in G3 it was normal in 92.8% (97.4±]1.6%) and borderline in 7.2% (92%). In G1, 43.5% of the 69 patients who complained of dyspnea had normal SaO2; the other 266 with main symptoms other than dyspnea, had low SaO2 in 9.8% of cases. We also noted SaO2 values after oxygen administration in 37 consecutive patients of all the groups who required it: SaO2 increased from 87.2±]10.4% to 95.2±]7% (p<0.001). SaO2 values measured during emergency require careful interpretation due to interference of factors such as peripheral vasoconstriction. In our study dyspneas without oxyhemoglobin desaturation, true oxyhemoglobin desaturations and variations of SaO2 after oxygen administration, not otherwise detectable in the ambulance, were revealed, suppling useful informations to the doctor.

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P. M. Olia, T. V. Mollica, A. Querci, A. Cantini (Prato, Italy). Evaluation of oxyhaemoglobin saturation by pulse oxymeter in the ambulance with doctor aboard. Eur Respir J 2001; 16: Suppl. 31, 1649

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