Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common serious infections in children, with an annual incidence of 34 to 40 cases per 1000 children in Europe and North America (Ostapchuk et al., 2004).
Bronchiolitis is among the most common and serious lower respiratory tract syndromes that affects young children. In developed countries, the case fatality rate among previously healthy children remains low; in contrast, infants with underlying medical conditions, such as immunodeficiency or chronic lung disease, are at risk of prolonged illness and death. Bronchiolitis is associated with significant morbidity among healthy young children. During the winter season, bronchiolitis is the most common cause of hospitalization among infants (Holman et al., 2003).
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease based on an inappropriate stimulation of the immune system, for instance by environmental aeroallergens. It is characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity, reversible airway obstruction and mucus overproduction. During the last decades bronchial asthma has become the most common disease of childhood (Bierbaum and Heinzmann., 2007).
The respiratory distress in neonates may be because of a redominantly medical or surgical pathology or may be a medical condition superimposed on a surgical pathology (Kumar and Bhatnagar, 2005).
A working diagnosis should be made in the first few minutes of seeing the baby and immediate lifesaving measures should be undertaken till further management plans are drawn up. The common causes of respiratory distress in the neonate are:
1. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
2. Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)
3. Transient tachypnoea of the newborn (TTN)
4. Congenital or acquired pneumonia
5. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)
6. Air leak syndroms.
7. Congenital anomalies of upper airway (Choanal atresia), gut (Tracheoesophageal fistula, congenital diaphragmatic hernia) or lungs (Lobar emphysema, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation or cysts)
8. Cardiac shock or congenital heart disease (CHD).
9. Haematological causes (Severe anaemia or polycythaemia)
10. Neurological causes leading to hyperventilation like seizures
11. Metabolic causes- Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM)
(Mathai et al., 2007).
Pulse oximetry is a non invasive, medical device that indirectly measures the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood, it is often attached to a medical monitor so staff can see a patient's oxygenation at all times. Most monitors also display the heart rate. Portable, battery-operated pulse oximeters are also available for home blood-oxygen monitoring (Brand et al., 2002).
Arterial blood gas (ABG) is a blood test that is performed using blood from an artery. ABG testing is used to determine the pH of the blood, the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), and the bicarbonate level (Baillie, 2008).
Our study included 100 neonates and child who were diagnosed as respiratory distress of different causes and they were studied by comparison between non invasive pulse oximetry (SpO2 readings) and PaO2 values obtained from arterial samples. Cases with major congenital anomalies,metabolic and surgical causes were excluded.
Our aim was to illustrate the relationship between Partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and pulse oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter values during routine clinical practice in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Our study showed statistically significant positive (direct) correlation between PO2 and SpO2. An increase in PO2 is associated with an increase in SpO2. There was no statistically significant correlation between SpO2, gestational age, birth weight, pH, PCO2, HCO3, WBCs
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