Table 1
Hypoxic challenge test: subject details
| Case no | Sex | Age (months) | Spo2 in air | Spo2 in 15% O2 | Spo2 in 15% + nasal cannulae O2 (flow to achieve normal saturation) | Clinical | Destination | Advice given | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spo2, oxygen saturation; CLD, chronic lung disease; VSD, ventricular septal defect; NA, data not available. | |||||||||
| 1 | M | 2 | 98 | 88 | 100(0.5 l/min) | Right hypoplastic lung | Malta | Have O2 available | Did not fly |
| 1 | M | 14 | 98 | 90 | Right hypoplastic lung | Malta | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 2 | F | 11 | 97 | 71 | 100(1.0 l/min) | Severe tracheobronchomalacia; Right pulmonary artery narrowing; gastro-oesophageal reflux; Ehlers Danlos syndrome; receiving O2 at night | Qatar | Have O2 available 2 l/m | Flew without O2 until “collapse”: Spo2 40%; given via mask O2 and continued for rest of trip |
| 3 | M | 19 | 99 | 90 | Ex-preterm 27 w; CLD; receiving 0.1 l/min O2 at night | Pakistan | Have O2 available 2 l/m because uncertain about sleep | Trip cancelled - non medical reasons | |
| 3 | M | 50 | 99 | 90 | Ex-preterm 27 w; CLD; receiving 0.1 l/min O2 at night | Pakistan | Have O2 available 2 l/m because uncertain about sleep | Trip cancelled because chest infection | |
| 4 | M | 4 | 97 | 88 | 97(1.0 l/min) | Persistent tachypnoea at 4 m unknown aetiology - posssible mild pulmonary hypoplasia | New York, USA | Well without O2 | NA |
| 4 | M | 6 | 97 | 90 | Persistent tachypnoea at 4 m unknown aetiology - possible mild pulmonary hypoplasia, bronchomalacia | New York, USA | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 5 | F | 45 | 92 | 86 | 92(1.0 l/min) | Cyanotic episodes of unknown aetiology | Greece | Have O2 available | Received O2 via mask on outward and return journeys; no problems |
| 5 | F | 54 | 98 | 92 | Cyanotic episodes with colds; unknown aetiology | Greece | Well without O2 | “Very tired” at end of flight | |
| 6 | F | 20 | 97 | 87 | Paraplegic with scoliosis on intermittent home O2 | Malta | Have O2 available 2 l/min | Received O2 via nasal prongs outward, mask return; no problems | |
| 7 | M | 9 | 97 | 92 | Left upper lobe congenital lobar emphysema | Switzerland | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight | |
| 8 | F | 2 | 100 | 94 | Ex-preterm 25 w; CLD; on O2 0.1 l/min at night | Jamaica | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 9 | M | 7 | 98 | 90 | Ex-preterm 26 w; CLD; off O2 | Mauritius | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight | |
| 10 | F | 6 | 99 | 92 | Ex-preterm 28 w; intrauterine growth retardation; CLD; off O2 | Pakistan | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 11 | M | 11 | 100 | 94 | 100(1.0 l/min) | Ex-preterm 24 w; intrauterine growth retardation; CLD; off O2 | UAE | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight |
| 12 | M | 6 | 100 | 94 | Ex-preterm 34 w; CLD; VSD; off O2 | Yugoslavia | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 13 | F | 2 | 100 | 95 | Repaired neonatal diaphragmatic hernia | Kuwait | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 14 | F | 3 | 99 | 92 | 100(1.0 l/min) | Ex-preterm 34 w | Thailand | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight |
| 15 | F | 3 | 98 | 91 | 100(1.0 l/min) | Ex-preterm 34 w; CLD; off O2 | Thailand | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight |
| 16 | M | 42 | 96 | 89 | Cystic fibrosis | Majorca | Well without O2 | Uneventful flight | |
| 17 | M | 49 | 100 | 94 | Right middle lobe bronchus vascular ring | Greece | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 18 | F | 8 | 94 | 88 | 98(1.0 l/min) | Pharyngomalacia | Canary Isles | Have O2 available 2 l/m | O2 was available but not administered. Uneventful flight |
| 19 | F | 5 | 100 | 94 | Ex-preterm 23 w; CLD; off O2 | S Africa | Well without O2 | NA | |
| 20 | M | 19 | 98 | 88 | 97(1.0 l/min) | Spinal muscular atrophy + left lower lobe collapse | Phoenix, AZ, USA | Have O2 available 2 l/m | O2 available. Received on return flight after getting distressed but would not tolerate either mask or nasal cannulae; eventually went to sleep. |
