Supplemental Oxygen in Critically Ill Adults Receiving Mechanical Ventilation

In one of the largest critical care trials to date, outcomes were similar when targeting an oxygen saturation of 90% versus usual care.

Although targeting lower oxygenation levels (i.e., conservative oxygen therapy) — compared with targeting higher oxygen levels — benefits some critically ill patients (e.g., adults with COVID-19), the benefit remains uncertain for a general population of critically ill and mechanically ventilated adults (NEJM JW Gen Med Jan 15 2023 and JAMA 2022; 328:1818).

Investigators from the U.K. randomized 16,500 mechanically ventilated adults (median age, 60) from 97 intensive care units (ICUs) to either conservative oxygen therapy (saturation of peripheral oxygen [SpO₂] target, 88%–92%) or usual care (no upper-limit target). A third of patients had sepsis, and only 7% had COVID-19. Key results were as follows:

Mean SpO₂ in the conservative group was l…

Reviewing Author

Raja-Elie E. Abdulnour, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Raja-Elie E. Abdulnour, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Supplemental Oxygen in Critically Ill Adults Receiving Mechanical Ventilation

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Reviewing Author