Citation

Kinane TB, Murphy RX, Bass JL, Corwin MJ. Pediatrics 2006; 118(2): 522-527.

Affiliation

Pediatric Pulmonary Unit, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. tkinane@partners.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2005-2712

PMID

16882803

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the respiratory physiologic features of healthy term infants placed in either a car bed or a car safety seat. METHODS: Within the first 1 week of life, 67 healthy term infants were recruited and assigned randomly to be monitored in either a car bed (33 infants) or a car safety seat (34 infants). Physiologic data, including oxygen saturation and frequency and type of apnea, were obtained and analyzed in a blinded manner. RESULTS: The groups spent similar amounts of time in the devices (car bed: 71.6 minutes; car seat: 74.2 minutes). The mean oxygen saturation values were not different between the groups (car bed: 97.1%; car seat: 97.3%). The percentages of time with oxygen saturation of < 95% were also similar for the 2 groups (car bed: 18.3%; car seat: 11.8%). In both groups, a number of infants spent high percentages of study time with oxygen saturation of < 95%. The 6 infants with the most time at this level were all in the car safety seat group (54%-63% of study time). Values for the 6 infants in the car bed group with the most time at this level were lower (20%-42%). This difference in the duration of oxygen saturation of < 95% was not statistically significant. The mean end-tidal carbon dioxide levels and the numbers of episodes of apnea were similar for the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The respiratory physiologic features of infants in the 2 car safety devices were observed to be similar. Of note, substantial periods of time with oxygen saturation of < 95% were surprisingly common in both groups.

Language: en