DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i11.011

Pages: 3545-3549

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive continuous method for monitoring oxygen saturation in sick neonates. Its advantages include early detection of hypoxia and less frequent need of blood sampling for blood gas analysis. So, this study was designed to find out the reliability of assessment of oxygenation status by pulse oximeter in sick neonates. In this cross-sectional study, 291 ABG and their corresponding values of oxygen saturation (SpO2) by pulse oximeter have been analyzed. Linear relations between differences in two successive measurements of SPO2 and SaO2, SPO2 and PaO2 were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and linear regression tests. Neonates with a mean age 4.5±5.1 days admitted in NICU with different diagnoses over a period of 9 months have been included in the study. SpO2 in pulse oximeter was ranging from 51% to 100.0% and SaO2 ranging from 40.4% to 99.7% and PaO2 ranging from 23.5 mmHg to 118.0 mmHg in ABG of study patients. Linear regression analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between simultaneous pulse oximeter SpO2 and directly measured SaO2 values (r=0.865, n = 291, p = 0.000), also simultaneous SpO2 and PaO2 (r=.744, n=291, p= 0.000) values. This study concludes that pulse oximetry is a reliable non-invasive procedure for measuring oxygen saturation.