Regional pulmonary oxygen saturations in late preterm and term infants with respiratory distress at birth

BackgroundMeasurement of regional pulmonary oxygen saturation by near-infrared spectroscopy is a novel monitorization method. This study aimed to determine the early regional pulmonary oxygen saturations in neonates with respiratory distress.MethodsThis observational study was conducted at the delivery room in infants above 35 weeks of gestation who developed respiratory distress immediately after birth. Preductal oxygen saturation (Covidien Nellcor (R)) and regional oxygen saturations of both apical (raSO2) and basal regions (rbSO2) of right lung were measured (Covidien INVOS (R)) within the first 15 min of life and compared to those of healthy neonates.ResultsOf the 165 infants included to the study, 15 were late preterm and 55 developed respiratory distress. Infants with respiratory distress had significantly lower gestational age and birth weight. Regional pulmonary oxygenations at both apex and basal lung areas were positively correlated with SpO2 in all infants. The rbSO2 was significantly lower than raSO2 until 10th minute of life regardless of respiratory distress. The fractionized tissue oxygen extraction of both apical and basal lung areas was significantly higher in infants with respiratory distress until 5th minute of life.ConclusionThis study is one of the pioneer studies evaluating the early pulmonary oxygenation values of infants with respiratory distress. Oxygenation of apical lung regions are better than basal areas. Higher fractionized tissue oxygen extraction showed the impaired pulmonary perfusion in infants with respiratory distress.