Study: reducing oxygen levels for children in intensive care can save lives
A new study has found that reducing oxygen levels in critically ill children on mechanical ventilators could save lives.
The Oxy-PICU study recruited children, ranging from newborn to 16 years old, from paediatric intensive care units who received either oxygen to the standard target level or a reduced oxygen target.
The researchers found that the children who received the lower level of oxygen were 6% more likely to have a better outcome, in terms of survival or a reduction in the number of days spent on ventilators.
Oxygen is one of the most common treatments used in emergency situations. Doctors and nurses adjust oxygen treatment based on how much oxygen their patient has in their blood. While very low oxygen levels are harmful, current research shows that slightly lower than normal levels may be the best target for very ill people.
Participants were recruited from 15 hospitals across the UK, including 128 at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
