Objective: To assess the value of 1-h daytime awake oximetry as a means of weaning oxygen flows in infants with oxygen dependent chronic lung disease.
Methods: A cohort study of oxygen dependent infants enrolled in a 3-month period. One hour of awake oximetry data were compared with equal time periods defined within a polysomnographic study and at the same oxygen flow rate. Sensitivity results were derived from the decision to wean oxygen to a lower flow or air.
Results: Twenty-two infants were enrolled and 27 studies were performed. The infants that could be weaned had an awake median of mean oxygen saturations of 97% and spent 14% of the time < or = 95% but only 2% < or = 92%, while for those not weaned, the awake median of mean oxygen saturations was 94% with 43% of their time < or = 95% and 26.8% < or = 92% saturation.
Conclusions: Daytime oximetry can predict the outcome of polysomnography with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 65%, and could be used to wean oxygen or as a screening tool for polysomnographic studies in infants with chronic lung disease provided there are reasonably long periods of monitoring and mean oxygen saturations above 95%.