Abstract â–¡ 67

Background: There is no consensus on indications for home oxygen therapy in infancy. To reach such consensus, it is important to know current practice.

Methods & Findings: A questionnaire was sent to hospitals in Germany (N=380) thought to admit very low birthweight infants. Response rate was 92% (N=349); 19% did not admit such infants, 30% never discharged infants on home oxygen, 21% annually discharged <1 infant, 27% 1-3 and 3% >3 infants on home oxygen. Indications were mostly (86%) based on long-term recordings of pulse oximeter saturation (SpO2). There was, however, a wide range of values below which oxygen therapy was considered indicated, with 13% prescribing it only if SpO2 was <85%, and 20% considering it necessary at SpO2 values <92-94%. Similarly, SpO2 values aimed for during therapy ranged from 86 to 100%, with hospitals prescribing home oxygen more frequently aiming for higher values.

Interpretation: The wide range of SpO2 levels below which home oxygen was considered necessary most likely reflects uncertainty as to how much oxygen is appropriate for an infant. This uncertainty can only be resolved by conducting a controlled trial on oxygen therapy in infancy.