Pulse oximetry as a screening tool for congenital heart diseases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24265/horizmed.2025.v25n1.02Keywords:
Congenital Abnormalities , Heart Defects, Congenital , Neonatal Screening , Oxygen Saturation, OximetryAbstract
Objective: To report the results of pulse oximetry screening for congenital heart diseases in healthy newborns during the transitional period between birth and discharge. Those with positive screening results were referred for echocardiographic evaluation aimed at a specific diagnosis. Materials and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from screening 4,897 newborns who were admitted to the nursery of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit at Hospital Universitario de Guayaquil, within the first 24 hours of birth, all diagnosed as healthy newborns. As part of the protocol, cardiac screening was performed on all newborns at admission and discharge. Newborns with saturation levels below 95 % on pulse oximetry underwent consecutive measurements at one-hour intervals, with a total of three readings. Additionally, those with more than a 3 % difference in saturation between preductal and postductal readings were also monitored. Newborns with positive screening results underwent transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate for heart defects. Results: Among the 4,897 newborns, 626 (12.8 %) had a positive neonatal cardiac screening, out of which 497 (79.4 %) were diagnosed with some form of structural heart defect. Persistent ductus arteriosus was the most frequent f inding, with 127 cases (25.55 %). Critical malformations such as aortic aneurysms and coarctation of the aorta were reported in 0.8 % and 1.6 %, respectively. Conclusions: Screening for congenital heart diseases using pulse oximetry during the transitional period prior to discharge is essential for the early detection of congenital heart diseases in healthy newborns.
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