Abstract
Chronic lung disease that requires prolonged oxygen therapy commonly complicates the recovery of extremely low-birth-weight infants We report follow-up data through 18.5±0.9 months of age in 30 extremely low-birth-weight infants who were discharged home receiving supplemental oxygen. Oxygen was prescribed to maintain arterial oxygen saturation at 95% or greater. At discharge, postconceptional age was 40.5±0.6 weeks, and weight was 2220±50 g. Duration of home oxygen therapy was 4.5±0.5 months. The mean weight percentile increased from less than 5 to 23 between discharge and the last follow-up. All infants survived; only 6 required hospitalization for acute medical illnesses. We conclude that carefully supervised home oxygen therapy permits the safe early discharge of selected extremely low-birth-weight infants with chronic lung disease.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 357-360 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | American Journal of Diseases of Children |
| Volume | 143 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1989 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health