This issue of RESPIRATORY CARE contains 2 papers of interest that deal with long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). In the first, Martí et al investigated the efficacy of 2 oxygen-conserving devices in correcting exercise-induced hypoxemia in subjects with either COPD or interstitial lung disease (ILD). Of the 59 subjects who completed the study, 28 were diagnosed with COPD and 31 were diagnosed with ...

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of acetazolamide (Az) on exercise performance during early acclimatization to altitude. METHODS Az (250 mg twice daily) or placebo was administered for 3 days in a double-blind, randomized manner followed by a rapid ascent to 3459 m in the Italian Alps. Twenty healthy adults (age range, 18-67 years) were tested at 60% of sea-level peak power output for 15 minute...

PURPOSE Pulmonary hypertension and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation (EID) influence acute exacerbation of COPD. Computed tomography (CT)-detected pulmonary artery (PA) enlargement is independently associated with acute COPD exacerbations. Associations between PA to aorta (PA:A) ratio and EID in patients with COPD have not been reported. We hypothesized that the PA:A ratio correlated with EI...

Opioids are respiratory depressants and heroin/opioid overdose is a major contributor to the excess mortality of heroin addicts. The individual and situational variability of respiratory depression caused by intravenous heroin is poorly understood. This study used advanced respiratory monitoring to follow the time course and severity of acute opioid-induced respiratory depression. 10 patients (...

BACKGROUND Intravenously administered indocyanine green (ICG) may cause misreadings of cerebral oximetry and pulse oximetry in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy under general anesthesia. The present study determined the effects of two different doses (12.5 mg vs. 25 mg) of ICG on regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO2) and percutaneous peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2). ...

OBJECTIVE To compare preductal oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR) and cord blood pH after birth in healthy term neonates delivered by elective caesarean delivery (CD) and vaginal delivery (VD), managed according to 2010 Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines. DESIGN In a prospective cohort study, sensors were placed on the right hand of the neonate. SETTING III level Maternity ward of the...

Background  Apnea is one of the most common problems in preterm neonates. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on the reduction of apnea, bradycardia, and Pulse Oximetry (SPO2) in premature infants. Materials and Methods In a clinical trial study, 60 preterm neonates randomly divided in two groups and exposed to aromatherapy with Rosa damascenes distillate or distilled...

INTRODUCTION Specific inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been shown to significantly attenuate the fall in arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) during exhaustive exercise while breathing a hypoxic gas mixture of 14% oxygen. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of IMT on resting SpO2 over a range of altitudes in healthy individuals. METHODS Resting SpO2 and the Borg Score were...

introduction:  one ofdiagnostic criteria for acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome is  pao2/fio2 (pf) ratio 300 for ali or 200 for ards. this criteria requires invasive arterial sampling. measurement of spo2/fio2 (sf) ratio by pulseoximetry may be a reliable non invasive alternative to the pf ratio.   methods and materials: in a cross sectional study we enrolled 105 sample o...