The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 160, Issue 2 , Pages 187-188, February 2012

Interinstitutional Variability in Home Care Interventions after Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Discharge

  • Nicole R. Dobson, MD
    • ,
  • Carl E. Hunt, MD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Carl E. Hunt, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799.

Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland

published online 03 November 2011.

See related article, p 232

Home O2 therapy in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) may facilitate early discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but creates additional stressors for families. No clinical trial has documented the long-term benefits of home O2 therapy in infants with BPD in the current era of widespread antenatal steroid use and early surfactant therapy. Published guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Thoracic Society recommend considering home O2 therapy for infants with an O2 saturation <92%-95% in room air, but there is significant variability in home O2 use among neonatologists.

BPD, Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, NICU, Neonatal intensive care unit, PMA, Postmenstrual age

 

 The views expressed in this editorial are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the US Government.

PII: S0022-3476(11)00947-4

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.09.033

Refers to article:

  • Clinical Predictors and Institutional Variation in Home Oxygen Use in Preterm Infants , 29 September 2011

    Joanne Lagatta, Reese Clark, Alan Spitzer
    The Journal of Pediatrics February 2012 (Vol. 160, Issue 2, Pages 232-238)

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 160, Issue 2 , Pages 187-188, February 2012

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