Supplemental oxygen is among the most widely prescribed therapies in the world, with an estimated 13 to 20 million patients worldwide requiring oxygen delivery by mechanical ventilation each year. Mechanical ventilation—a form of life support—is a technology that moves breathable air into and out of the lungs, acting like a bellows. Ventilators have moved far beyond the "iron lung" machines some people might picture; now, apparatuses have progressed to sophisticated, compact digital machines that deliver oxygen through a small plastic tube that goes down the throat.
Despite technological advancements , the correct amount of oxygen to deliver to each patient has remained a guessing game. Clinicians prescribe oxygen levels by using devices that record SpO 2 saturation, which measure the amount of oxygen in a patient's blood. However, prior research has been unable to establish whether a higher or lower SpO 2 target is better for patients.
"The standard of care is to maintain oxygen saturation between 88 and 100; within that range, doctors have had to choose an oxygen level for ventilation without having high-quality data to inform their decision-making," said Kevin Buell, MBBS, a pulmonary and critical care fellow at the University of Chicago Medicine. "Whether we like it or not, making that decision for each patient exposes them to the potential benefits or harms of the chosen oxygen level." To take the guesswork out of ventilation, Buell and a group of other researchers u.
