Abstract
Introduction: BTS recommend infants with a history of neonatal chronic respiratory problems have hypoxic challenge testing (HCT) before air travel. SpO2 <85% during HCT is recommended as a threshold below which in-flight oxygen is required and “paediatrician discretion should be used when SpO2 between 85-90% and, where there is doubt, the doctor should err on the side of caution.” (BTS Thorax 2011;66 (suppl 1))
Aim: To establish which infants were recommended to fly +/- supplemental oxygen (suppO2) following HCT.
Methods: During infant HCT SpO2 is monitored in 15% FiO2 within a body plethysmograph and suppO2 administered if SpO2 < 85%. If after 20 mins SpO2 has remained >85% but <90% then suppO2 is titrated to provide additional information. We reviewed data from infants (aged < 1 year) whom had HCT between March 2017-January 2020.
Results: Data collected from 65 infants, median age 27.6 weeks (range 5 to 51.6), 37 (57%) male. All had baseline SpO2 ≥96% in room air.
SuppO2 corrected SpO2 in all to baseline. Of the 9 infants with SpO2 85-90% during HCT; 7 ex-preterm, 1 thymus transplant, 1 pulmonary hypertension with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. 8/9 infants had a flight recommendation post HCT. All 8 were advised by their clinician to use suppO2 for air travel. The flight times in this subgroup ranged from 90 to 450 minutes.
Conclusion: Infants with baseline SpO2 ≥96% may still exhibit SpO2 desaturation during HCT. We found all paediatricians recommended in-flight oxygen for infants with HCT SpO2 <90%. In the SpO2=85-90% group, flight duration did not appear to affect the recommendation made.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 2156.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020