Six years of experience with the use of room air for the resuscitation of asphyxiated newly born term infants

In the last 6 years, 830 asphyxiated newly born term infants have been resu scitated with room air (RAR; n = 304) or 100% oxygen (OxR; n = 526) in our hospital. We have studied the time to onset of a regular respiratory patter n, morbidity and mortality, blood gases, reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxid ised glutathione (GSSG) and antioxidant enzymes in these infants. No signif icant differences in the effectiveness of either gas sources or in the fina l outcome have been found. The RAR group required a shorter time of positiv e pressure ventilation to attain a spontaneous pattern of respiration. The OxR group showed hyperoxaemia during resuscitation, which was positively co rrelated with increased GSSG concentrations. Significant oxidative stress w as found in the OxR group at 28 days of postnatal life when compared with n ormal control infants and the RAR group. Oxygen concentrations used during the resuscitation of newly born infants should be strictly monitored. Copyr ight (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.