Utility of Continuous Pulse Oximetry for Pediatric Patients With Stable Respiratory Illness

Respiratory illnesses are among the most common causes for inpatient pediatric hospitalizations every year. The most common respiratory illnesses that make up these hospitalizations include pneumonia, acute bronchiolitis, and asthma.

Pneumonia is one of the top three illnesses requiring pediatric hospitalization and is a significant cause or morbidity and mortality. The incidence of pediatric pneumonia varies depending on the country and age group, but worldwide the annual incidence in children younger than five years of age is 150 million and approximately 2 million pediatric deaths, per year, are attributed to pneumonia. Therefore, it is important to understand this disease and how it impacts pediatric hospital admissions.

Pneumonia is defined as an acute infection of the lung parenchyma secondary to an infectious etiology such as viruses or bacteria. When an infectious organism is present, the defense mechanisms of the body, including the lungs, are disturbed and the resultant inflammation gives rise to parenchymal damage. Symptoms can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Findings on imaging can demonstrate infiltrates in the lungs. Vital sign testing can show elevations in a child's heart rate and decreases in the amount of oxygen present in the blood (pulse oximetry) secondary to the infiltrative processes in the lungs.

Pneumonia is the most common serious infection in the pediatric population and accounts for up to 1-4% of all pediatric Emergency Department (ED) visits in the United States (US). Furthermore, of the pediatric patients that present to the ED with pneumonia, 20-25% are admitted to the inpatient pediatric unit for further management. This decision to admit a child to the hospital depends on various underlying factors including age, medical conditions, and severity of illness. One of the factors that is considered when deciding whether to admit a child to the hospital for pneumonia is oxygen saturation, or the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Bronchiolitis is another common respiratory illness in the pediatric population and is estimated to account for up to 100,000 US hospital admissions annually. There is a seasonality with most infections occurring in the fall and winter months. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants and young children with most cases involving children less than two years of age.