Continuous monitoring of oxygenation in sick newborns is vitally important. In comparison that transcutaneous oxgen tension (TcPO2) measurements have a number of limiations, pulse oximetry is a simple, accurate, noninvasive and continuous method
of
transcutaneously measuring arterial oxygen staturation in newborn.
In this study, to determine the effect of positional change on arterial oxygenation, pulse oximetry was used to measure transcutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) in 30 healthy preterm infants and 30 healthy term infants in both supine and
prone
position in quiet sleep.
Values for mean (±SD) SpO2 observed were 96.86 (±1.23)% in supine-term infants 97.65 (±1.15) % in prone term infants, 97.22 (±2.08) % in supine preterm infants, and 97.65 (±2.37) % in prone preterm infants. When the infants were prone, SpO2,
rose
significantly by a mean of 1.05 (±0.79) % in term infants (p<0.05) and 0.43 (±0.89) % in preterm infants (p<0.05).
These improved oxygenation in the prone position appears to be the results of enhanced ventilation/perfusion ratio, decreased amount of time of asynchronous chest wall movement and improvement of respiratory patterns of infants.
These findings have implications that the prone position is suggested to be the optimal position for neonatal intensive care. Study for the precise mechanisms of these improved oxygenation using pulmonary function test, monitoring of movement of
chest
and abdominal wall, and respiratory pattern will be required.
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