Prevalence of hypoxemia in under-five children with pneumonia in an emergency pediatrics hospital in Sudan

CONTEXT: Hypoxemia is a common and potentially lethal complication of acute respiratory infection in children under-five, particularly among those with severe disease. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypoxemia in under-five Sudanese children with pneumonia. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study conducted in a pediatrics hospital in a developing country. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected using structured questionnaire and oxygen saturation was measured using a pulse oximeter. Hypoxemia was defined as arterial blood oxygen saturation <90%. RESULTS: Of 150 studied patients, 86 (57.3%) were males and 46 (32%) were in the age group 2 to ≤12 months. Of the total number, 42.7% had hypoxemia (with pulse oximeter oxygen saturation <90%), out of them 36 (56.25%) were in the age group <2 months. Of the hypoxic patients, 30 (46.88%) had severe pneumonia, and 7 (10.94) had very severe pneumonia (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypoxemia was 42.7% among the studied population. There was a significant association between the hypoxemia and small age group and very severe pneumonia. In limited resource settings pulse oximeter can be used to correctly identify hypoxemia in under-five children particularly among those diagnosed clinically as very severe pneumonia.