PULSE OXIMETER OXYGEN SATURATION IN PREDICTION OF ARTERIAL OXYGEN SATURATION IN LIVER TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES

摘要

Background: Liver transplant is the only definitive treatment for many patients with end stage liver disease. Presence and severity of preoperative pulmonary disease directly affect the rate of postoperative complications of the liver transplantation. Arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement, performed in many transplant centers, is considered as a traditional method to diagnose hypoxemia. Because ABG measurement is invasive and painful, pulse oximetry, a bedside, noninvasive and inexpensive technique, has been recommended as an alternative source for the ABG measurement.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pulse oximetry as a screening tool in hypoxemia detection in liver transplant candidates and to compare the results with ABGs.Patients and Methods: Three hundred and ninety transplant candidates (237 males and 153 females) participated in this study. Arterial blood gas oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO₂) was recorded and compared with pulse oximetry oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO₂) results for each participants. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was calculated by means of nonparametric methods to evaluate the efficacy of pulse oximetry to detect hypoxemia.Results: Roc-derived SpO₂ threshold of ?94% can predict hypoxemia (PaO₂2 threshold of ?97% and detection of hypoxemia (PaO₂Conclusions: Provided that SpO₂ is equal to or greater than 94%, attained from pulse oximetry can be used as a reliable and accurate substitute for the ABG measurements to evaluate hypoxemia in patients with end stage liver disease.