Archives of disease in childhood
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Pulse oximetry is becoming popular for measuring oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in paediatric patients. There are no reference values for children living at high altitudes, and the aim of this study was to determine the values of oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in healthy children in Bogota (2640 m above sea level). The saturation was determined in 189 children aged 5 days to 24 months with a Nellcor N10 oximeter. ⋯ The mean saturation in sleeping children was significantly lower than that during other physiological states (91.1% v 93.3%) but the difference was not clinically important. As expected, the values for the oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in the children studied were lower than those reported from children living at sea level. These estimates can be used for interpreting results of the oxygen saturation in haemoglobin in children from Bogota and other cities located at a similar altitude.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Bronchodilators for treatment of mild bronchiolitis: a factorial randomised trial.
A randomised double blind trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of inhaled bronchodilators, salbutamol and ipratropium bromide, compared with placebo in the treatment of bronchiolitis. Patients, who were 2 months to 2 years of age and without underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease, received drug 1 (salbutamol or saline placebo) followed one hour later by drug 2 (ipratropium bromide or placebo). Both agents were administered every four hours. ⋯ This change, however, was not statistically different from that of the control group. No difference was observed in the clinical score or hospital duration. Inhaled bronchodilators did not improve the condition of hospitalised mild bronchiolitis.