HEMOGLOBIN DESATURATION DURING SLEEP AND DAYTIME IN PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC-FIBROSIS AND SEVERE AIRWAY-OBSTRUCTION

Transcutaneous hemoglobin saturation by pulse oximetry was evaluated during sleep and for 2-3 h during the day in 31 patients with cystic fibrosis (median age 15.2 years; range 7.6-33.6 years) and severe airway obstruction. Pulse oximetry readings were analyzed as a cumulative percentage of time in which oxygen saturation was <90% during both sleep and daytime. Each patient was also examined using clinical and radiological scores. spirometry and arterial blood-gas analysis. The agreement between arterial and transcutaneous saturation was evaluated in 29 patients. The difference between transcutaneous and arterial saturation was 2.4+/-2.0% and it increased as arterial saturation decreased. Clinical and radiological scores and spirometry parameters showed a poor correlation with both overnight and daytime desaturation. An arterial saturation <94% may indicate a risk of consistent desaturation. This occurred for more than 50% of the time in 11 of 20 patients during sleep and in 5 of 20 patients during daytime hours.