Arterial oxygen saturation in severely disabled people: Effect of oral feeding in the sitting position

Control of the circulatory and respiratory systems is especially important in severely disabled people. The purpose of this study was to clarify the r esponse of hemoglobin oxygen saturation level (SpO(2)), pulse rate, and res piratory rate during oral feeding in severely disabled persons. Continuous measurement of these variables was done by pulse oximetry and respiratory i nductance plethysmography under two experimental settings in eight severely disabled persons aged 14-28 yrs. Setting I consisted of the following thre e procedures: (a) a 30-min period in the supine position, (b) a 50-min peri od in a sitting position, and (c) a 30-min period in the supine position. S etting II consisted of the following four procedures: (a) a 30-min period b efore the meal in the supine position, (b) a nonspecified period in a sitti ng position during which the meal was taken, (c) a 30-min period after the meal in the same sitting position, and (d) a 30-min period in the supine po sition. Results showed that mean SpO(2) level decreased and mean pulse rate increased during the meal in almost all subjects. In many cases, pulse rat e and SpO(2) level did not return to baseline values in the sitting positio n after the meal. These findings indicate that oral feeding of severely dis abled persons in a sitting position places considerable stress on the circu latory system, the effects of which may last after the meal in some cases.