This document summarizes the results of a survey of 59 Swedish doctors on oxygenation targets in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The doctors were given scenarios of preterm and term infants and asked to provide the saturation targets for each case. The responses showed inconsistencies both in the targets provided for each scenario as well as whether the NICUs had official written guidelines. Specifically, targets ranged from 88-98% for the various cases. Also, 53% of doctors said they had no official guidelines while 47% said they did have guidelines, even among responders from the same hospital. The conclusions were that there is a lack of consensus on oxygenation targets in Swedish NICUs, both between units and sometimes even within the

1. Oxygenation targets in the NICU
- according to 59 Swedish doctors
STEFAN JOHANSSON, MD PhD
Karolinska university hospital
Karolinska institutet
Stockholm, Sweden

2. ”normal saturation”
”normal saturation”
”normal saturation”
”normal saturation”
”normal saturation””normal saturation”
”normal saturation”

3. ”normal saturation”
”normal saturation”
”normalsaturation”
”normal saturation”
”normal saturation””normal saturation”
”normal saturation”

4. Web questionnaire
with typical scenarios
 Saturation targets?
 Guidelines?

6. Infant #1: GA 40 weeks , 2 days old
median: 92-96

7. Infant #2: GA 34 weeks , 2 days old
median: 90-95

8. Infant #3: GA 28 weeks , 2 days old
median: 88-93

9. Infant #4: GA 28 weeks , 4 weeks old
median: 90-94

10. Infant #5: extremly preterm & ROP
median: 88-94

11. Infant #6: extremly preterm & BPD
median: 90-95

12. Infant #7: term & PPHN
median: 94-98

13. Targets for each scenario
• Infant, 40 weeks, 2 days old: 92-96
• Infant, 34 weeks, 2 days old: 90-95
• Infant, 28 weeks, 2 days old: 88-93
• Infant, 28 weeks, 4 weeks old: 90-94
• Extr pretem infant with ROP: 88-94
• Extr pretem infant with BPD: 90-95
• Term infant with PPHN: 94-98

14. Target interval (upper-lower)

15. Written guidelines?
• ”We have guidelines” 47%
• ”We have no guidelines” 53%

16. Inconsistent answers
Responders from the same hospital
• set different oxygenation targets
• answered both yes/no regarding guidelines

17. Conclusions
• Oxygenation targets differ
• Lack of consensus, also within NICUs
slideshare.net/stefanjohansson/oxygenation-targets-in-swedish-nicus