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Content: Pulse oximetry testing before discharge may be one important strategy for such screening as it can be an effective, noninvasive, inexpensive tool to assist in diagnosing critical congenital heart disease. While the risk for use of this screening is minimal, and the benefits are still being fully elucidated, the AHA reaffirms its current recommendation supporting consideration of pulse oximetry as a screening methodology (Class IIA-Level of Evidence C)1based on consensus science versus extensive randomized controlled trials. RECENT UNITED KINGDOM STUDY
In one of the largest studies of its kind, United Kingdom researchers have demonstrated that pulse oximetry testing of newborns improves the detection of critical congenital heart disease, identifying defects that go undetected with antenatal ultrasound. The study, published in Lancet this month, involved the pulse oximetry screening, between February 2008 and January 2009, of 20,055 apparently healthy newborns from six maternity units across the United Kingdom. Of the total number of babies, 53 had major congenital heart disease (24 critical), a prevalence of 2.6 per 1000 live births. Pulse oximetry detected 75% of the critical cases and 49% of all major congenital heart defects. Lead author of the study Dr. Andrew Ewer stated that “pulse oximetry is a better more sensitive test than antenatal ultrasound and physical exam, although we are not suggesting we should replace those, but rather include pulse-ox as an additional screening tool, which would allow us to identify the majority of babies with critical congenital heart disease.” For a link to the study go to: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60753-8/fulltext
ACTIVITY IN OTHER STATES
New Jersey was the first state to require that eve