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. 2016 Nov 16;176(1):51–56. doi: 10.1007/s00431-016-2804-9
What is Known:
For preterm infants requiring supplemental oxygen, the optimum range of pulse oximeter oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) to minimize organ damage, without causing hypoxic injury, remains controversial.
What is New:
This survey highlights the lack of consensus regarding SpO 2 target limits for preterm infants among European neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We detected 40 different SpO 2 ranges, and even the most frequently reported range (i.e., 90–95%) was used in only 28% of the 193 respondent NICUs.
A total of 156 NICUs (81%) changed their SpO 2 limits over the last 10 years. The currently used limits are 3 to 5% higher than the former limits, and the most extreme limits, such as lower below 85% or upper above 96%, have almost been abandoned.