Can High Average Oxygen Saturation be a Risk Factor for Necrotizing Enterocolitis in VLBW Infants?

Abstract

Background: Avoiding hyperoxia with oxygen saturation monitoring is important in the follow‑up
of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Role of oxygen‑derived free radicals in the pathogenesis
of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has been well defined. However, a great majority of the evidence
supporting the role of hyperoxia in NEC development are data from experimental studies and
there are very few clinical studies. In this study, the association between NEC and average oxygen
saturation (SpO2) levels in VLBW infants was researched.

Methods: Average SpO2 values of VLBW
infants in the last 24 h were recorded prospectively with pulse oximeter. Average SpO2 records were
continued at least for 10 days starting from the first day after birth. In the follow‑up, the average SpO2
values of the patients who developed NEC and those who did not were compared.

Results: A total of
127 VLBW infants were followed up. Thirteen patients developed NEC (Bell’s classification ≥ stage
II). No differences were found between the average SpO2 levels (94.9 and 94.8%) of the patients
who developed NEC and those who did not. It was found that average SpO2 value higher than 93 or
95 was not a risk for NEC development (P = 0.693 and P = 0.771).

Conclusions: In this study, no
association was found between average SpO2 values recorded in the first weeks of VLBW infants
and NEC.

Keywords: Enterocolitis, hyperoxia, infant, necrotizing, premature