Pulse oximetry to detect paediatric hypoxaemia—the fifth vital sign

Abstract

Pneumonia or lower respiratory infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years, with most of the approximately 672 000 childhood pneumonia deaths in 2019 occurring in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).1 Almost all childhood pneumonia deaths are preventable or treatable; important mortality risk factors include hypoxaemia (low peripheral arterial oxyhaemoglobin saturation [SpO2] measurement by pulse oximetry), malnutrition, anaemia, or underlying chronic conditions.

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