Abstract
Background: oxygen saturation (SpO2) during sleep in infants 1-4 months at altitudes 2,200-2,800 m is not established, nor have respiratory periodic breathing (PB) or apnea indexes (AI).
Objectives: to describe SpO2 and PB and AI and their correlation with SpO2 during sleep in infants 1-4 months living at 2,560 m.
Methods: polysomnography was performed in 35 healthy infants 1-4 months in Cuenca (Ecuador) at 2,560 m. To look for a correlation between SpO2 and PB, the ratio of the time during which the infant had a SpO2 ≥92% and the time when the SpO2 was less than 92%, was used. This number was called sleep saturation ratio (SSR).
Results: No correlation was found between PB and SpO2.
Conclusions: SpO2 was lower than the values at sea level and PB was higher. The absence of correlation between PB and SpO2 suggests that low SpO2 is attributable mainly to the decreased pressure oxygen in high altitudes. The decision to supply oxygen should be based on SpO2 and not on PB or other values.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015