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- Title
Brief Communication Improving blood gas control in mechanically ventilated, premature infants through monitoring and evaluation of clinical practice.
- Authors
Steinmetz, Jacob; Greisen, Gorm
- Abstract
Mechanical ventilation causing hypocapnia or hyperoxia carries a risk for the pre-term infant. The aim was to improve blood gas control in our unit. A guideline was written, and all personnel were motivated concerning blood gas control. Case records of all mechanically ventilated premature infants were examined during two 3-month periods, before and after intervention. The hours spent with hypocapnia (pCO2 < 4 kPa) or hyperoxia (pO2 > 12 kPa) were recorded. Case records of 31 infants were examined for a total of 1358 h of mechanical ventilation, 641 h before and 717 h after the intervention. The percentage time of hypocapnia before intervention (7.0%) was reduced significantly ( P = 0.044) to less than half (2.9%) after intervention. Hyperoxia was reduced from 14.5% to 8.7% ( P = 0.072). Blood gas control of mechanically ventilated premature infants could be improved with little effort, but hyperoxia is too frequent.
- Subjects
NEONATAL intensive care; ARTIFICIAL respiration; BLOOD gases; HYPERVENTILATION
- Publication
Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 2003, Vol 9, Issue 4, p433
- ISSN
1356-1294
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2753.2003.00405.x