Safety of Lower Oxygenation Targets for Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

In a randomized trial, 90-day mortality was higher when oxygen saturation levels were titrated to 88% to 92%.

A recent study showed no benefit or harm from a conservative oxygen strategy that maintained oxygen saturation at <97% (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 15 2019 and N Engl J Med 2019 Oct 14; [e-pub]). However, this target did not seem particularly conservative to many clinicians.

Investigators in France randomized patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to either a target partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) of 55 to 70 mm Hg (conservative group; saturation, 88%–92%) or a PaO₂ of 90 to 105 mm Hg (liberal group; saturation, ≥96%), for the first 7 days of treatment; three quarters of patients had moderately severe ARDS. The trial was stopped early due to safety concerns after 205 patients were enrolled. Although higher mortality in the conser…

Reviewing Author

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Safety of Lower Oxygenation Targets for Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

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Reviewing Author