BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We measured arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) during eating in acute stroke patients to establish the frequency of any meal-related hypoxemia, which could further damage already vulnerable brain tissue. METHODS Stroke patients (</=12 days from stroke onset) classified as "safe to feed orally" were compared with elderly hospitalized (for nonneurological causes) and you...

Two young women, were reffered to our hospital on two different occasions with history of breathlessness and mental confusion, following consumption of two different bio-organic plant nutrient compounds with a suicidal intent. On examination, they had cyanotic mucous membranes, and their blood samples showed the classic 'dark chocolate brown' appearance. Work up revealed cyanosis unresponsive t...

Avoidable deaths from asthma continue. Some of these result from the difficulty in determining the severity of an acute asthma attack at the initial assessment. This study evaluated the relation of pulse oximetry with other markers of severity in 46 patients attending an accident and emergency (A&E) department with acute asthma. Neither oxygen saturation nor peak flow correlated with length of ...

BACKGROUND A pilot investigation was undertaken to assess the performance of a novel fiber-optic cerebral pulse oximetry system. A fiber-optic probe designed to pass through the lumen of a cranial bolt of the type used to make intracranial pressure measurements was used to obtain optical reflectance signals directly from brain tissue. METHODS Short-duration measurements were made in six patie...

We have evaluated three different devices for oxygen administration in the surgical ward, the Hudson face mask (oxygen 3 litre min-1, air 12 litre min-1), the nasal prong (oxygen 3 litre min-1) and the binasal catheter (oxygen 3 litre min-1). We evaluated the three devices in random order for periods of 30 min each in 25 patients with postoperative hypoxaemia (SpO2 < or = 94%). Arterial oxygen ...

Pulse oximetry is a technique of fetal monitoring during labour based on non-invasive measurement of fetal arterial oxygen saturation. It has been shown in animal studies that metabolic acidosis occurred for a fetal arterial oxygen saturation below 30%. One of the main debates during initial experience in humans, was focused on the adequate cut-off for intervention (or non-intervention), and th...

In April 1997, a then 4-year-old boy suddenly fell ill with fever, cough, fatigue, and poor physical resistance to stress. Marked cyanosis of the lips and the nail beds was noted. During his 3-week hospital stay, mycoplasmosis of the lung and a respiratory syncytial virus infection were diagnosed by the detection of high-titer Mycoplasma agglutinins in serum samples and positive test results fo...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Patients who have had a stroke are at risk of hypoxia through alterations in the central regulation of respiration, through aspiration, and through respiratory muscle weakness. Sleep-related breathing disorders are common and may lead to episodes of nocturnal hypoxia even when daytime oxygenation is normal. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of unexpected ...

The aim of the study was to assess effects of acetazolamide in prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and on overnight oxygenation, in patients with asthma treated at the altitude of 3,200 m. Sixteen patients with asthma, 6 males and 10 females, mean age 32 yrs, were first investigated at low altitude (760 m). They presented with mild airways obstruction, normal arterial blood gases, and n...