Usefulness of Percutaneous Oxygen Saturation Monitoring as a Predictor of Deterioration of Lung Function in Korean Children with Asthma / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:Our study was designed to verify the correlation between the level of percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and to classify the severity according to SpO2 level when asthma exacerbation is developed. METHODS:We performed the methacholine bronchial provocation tests with monitoring SpO2 on 350 children who visited the pediatric allergy clinic with chronic cough or recurrent wheezing from August 2006 to August 2008. RESULTS:There was a significant correlation between FEV1%fall and SpO2 (r=-0.814, P< 0.01). The mean value of SpO2 was 95.80%+/-1.2% when decrement of FEV1 was 20%. It was 92.3%+/-0.81% when FEV1 decreased by 40%. CONCLUSION:Monitoring SpO2 is a convenient and reliable objective method to determine an appropriate therapeutic option when the pulmonary function test or arteial blood gas analysis is not available in children with asthma. We suggest less than 96% of SpO2 for the moderate attack, less than 92% for the severe attack, as the criteria for the severity of asthma exacerbations in Korea, which is higher than those suggested by GINA guideline or Japanese guidelines.