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A Model to Simulate Clinically Relevant Hypoxia in Humans
Published on: December 22, 2016
How Should Oxygen Supplementation Be Guided by Pulse Oximetry in Children: Do We Know the Level?
Ross Langley1, Steve Cunningham1
1Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Hospital for Sick Children , Edinburgh , UK.
Insights
Supplemental oxygen therapy is common in hospitals but understudied. This review examines oxygen
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Respiratory physiology
Background:
- Supplemental oxygen is a frequent hospital therapy for children.
- Despite its prevalence, it remains one of the least studied medical interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of supplemental oxygen therapy.
- To explore various facets of oxygen use in pediatric care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review covering historical use, physiological measurement, and clinical studies.
- Analysis of the impact of illness on oxygen utilization.
- Examination of cellular responses to hypoxia.
Main Results:
- Oxygenation can be estimated using clinical assessment and medical devices.
- Illness significantly affects how the body uses oxygen.
- Cellular consequences of low oxygen (hypoxia) are explored.
Conclusions:
- Current clinical studies guide the targeted use of supplemental oxygen.
- Further research is needed to optimize oxygen therapy for children with hypoxemia.
Abstract:
Supplemental oxygen is one of the most commonly prescribed therapies to children in hospital, but one of the least studied therapeutics. This review considers oxygen from a range of perspectives; discovery and early use; estimation of oxygenation in the human body-both clinically and by medical device; the effects of illness on oxygen utilization; the cellular consequences of low oxygen; and finally, how clinical studies currently inform our approach to targeting supplementing oxygen in those with lower than normal oxygen saturation.
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