Oxygen saturation, periodic breathing, and sleep apnea in infants aged 1-4 months old living at 3200 meters above sea level.

OBJECTIVES To describe, in infants aged 1-4 months old living at 3200 meters above sea level (MASL), oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep apnea indices, and periodic breathing (PB) during sleep. Polysomnographies were done in 18 healthy infants. RESULTS The median SpO2 was 87%, and the median PB was 7.2% for the total sleep time. The median central sleep apnea index was 30.5/hour, which decreased to 5.4/hour once sleep apneas associated with PB were excluded. The 5th percentile for SpO2 was 76% among awake infants, and 66% among asleep infants. CONCLUSIONS The SpO2 was lower than that observed at sea level, whereas PB and the central sleep apnea index were higher, once sleep apneas associated with PB were excluded. The latter was similar to that observed at sea level. At 3200 MASL, different cut-off points are required for a normal SpO2, one for infants during the waking state and one for infants during sleep.