Pulse Oxygen Saturation Values in a Healthy School-Aged Population

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the normal values of oxygen saturation in a healthy school-aged pediatric population. Methods This study enrolled students in grades K-8 at an elementary and middle school in Los Angeles. Although all students were invited to participate, only pulse oximetry results among healthy students were included. Healthy students were defined as not having asthma, bronchitis, a recent cold or pneumonia within the past week, any chronic lung disease, or any heart condition. Results Two hundred forty-eight students participated in the study, and 246 students met the inclusion criteria. Pulse oxygen saturation values ranged from 97% to 100% with a mean of 98.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 98.6%–99.8%) and median of 99%. The distribution of measured pulse oximetry values were 97%: 16 (95% CI, 6.5%), 98%: 45 (95% CI, 18.3%), 99%: 184 (95% CI, 74.8%), and 100%: 1 (95% CI, 0.4%). Conclusions Although the conventional wisdom is that pulse oximetry values 95% or greater are normal, these data suggest that the normal oxygen saturation range should be between 97% and 100%. Values of 95% and 96% should increase clinical suspicion of underlying disease.

[1]  S. Fouzas,et al.  Pulse Oximetry in Pediatric Practice , 2011, Pediatrics.

[2]  M. Laman,et al.  Reference values for pulse oximetry in healthy children in coastal Papua New Guinea. , 2009, Papua and New Guinea medical journal.

[3]  J. Severinghaus,et al.  Takuo Aoyagi: Discovery of Pulse Oximetry , 2007, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[4]  J. Severinghaus,et al.  Dark Skin Decreases the Accuracy of Pulse Oximeters at Low Oxygen Saturation: The Effects of Oximeter Probe Type and Gender , 2007, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[5]  R. Garruto,et al.  A comparative analysis of arterial oxygen saturation among Tibetans and Han born and raised at high altitude. , 2007, High altitude medicine & biology.

[6]  S. Balasubramanian,et al.  Reference values for oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry in healthy children at sea level in Chennai , 2006, Annals of tropical paediatrics.

[7]  John W. Severinghaus,et al.  Effects of Skin Pigmentation on Pulse Oximeter Accuracy at Low Saturation , 2005, Anesthesiology.

[8]  Loren G Yamamoto,et al.  Normal oxygen saturation values in pediatric patients. , 2005, Hawaii medical journal.

[9]  F. Léon-Velarde,et al.  Oxygen saturation and heart rate in healthy school children and adolescents living at high altitude , 2001, American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council.

[10]  W. Mower,et al.  Pulse oximetry as a fifth vital sign in emergency geriatric assessment. , 1998, Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

[11]  P Safa,et al.  A comparison of pulse oximetry and respiratory rate in patient screening. , 1996, Respiratory medicine.

[12]  W. Mower,et al.  Effect of routine emergency department triage pulse oximetry screening on medical management. , 1995, Chest.

[13]  A. Kellerman,et al.  Impact of portable pulse oximetry on arterial blood gas test ordering in an urban emergency department. , 1991, Annals of emergency medicine.

[14]  C. Oakland.  Pulse oximetry in the accident and emergency department. , 1990, Archives of emergency medicine.

[15]  R. Wiebe,et al.  Pulse oximetry to identify a high-risk group of children with wheezing. , 1989, The American journal of emergency medicine.

[16]  M. A. Lambert,et al.  The role of pulse oximetry in the accident and emergency department. , 1989, Archives of emergency medicine.

[17]  D. Heiselman,et al.  Continuous emergency department monitoring of arterial saturation in adult patients with respiratory distress. , 1988, Annals of emergency medicine.