Assessing the incidence of hyperoxia and the effectiveness of Oxygen Reserve Index-guided FiO2 titration in hyperoxia prevention.

Background: Although pulse oximetry technology, which is considered the standard of care to ensure optimum oxygenation, is indispensable in clinical practice, especially in the detection of hypoxemia, it has some limitations in the detection of hyperoxemia. Oxygen Reserve Index can provide clinicians with a crucial pathway in detecting and preventing hyperoxia, noninvasively. Our aim in this study is to determine the hyperoxia detection ability of ORi and to investigate the effectiveness of ORi and SpO₂-guided FiO₂ titration in preventing hyperoxia.

Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted in the operating theater of Health Sciences University İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital from September 1, 2020, to December 1, 2022. Patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were divided into two groups: the control group and the SpO2 + ORi group. FiO2 titration was performed in the SpO2 + ORi group to maintain the ORi between 0.00 and 95% < SpO2 ≤ 98%. Parameters were recorded before induction, 10 min after intubation, and every hour during the operation.

Results: A positive linear relationship of 75.8% (r = 0.758) was found between PaO2 and ORi in the ORi + SpO2 group (p < 0.001). Moderate hyperoxemia was observed in 31.6% of patients in the control group, while it was not observed in the ORi + SpO2 group at the 3rd hour. PaO2 values decreased significantly over time in the ORi + SpO2 group with FiO2 titration (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The combined use of SpO2 and ORi has been demonstrated to successfully guide FiO2 titration for optimal oxygenation and reduce hyperoxemia.