Adequacy of oxygenation parameters in elderly patients undergoing mechanical ventilation

OBJECTIVE: To compare ideal PaO(2) with PaO(2) found, ideal PaO(2)/FiO(2) of room air with the one found, and ideal FiO(2) with FiO(2) found in mechanically ventilated elderly patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that evaluated elderly mechanically ventilated patients for at least 72 hours and who underwent three subsequent blood gas analyses. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 48 elderly with mean age of 74.77±9.36 years. There was a significant difference between the ideal PaO(2) and the one found (p<0.001), between FiO(2) corrected and the offered one, and also between ideal PaO(2)/FiO(2) of room air and the PaO(2)/FiO(2) found (p<0,001). CONCLUSION: A significant increase was seen in PaO(2) and FiO(2) and in alterations of gas exchange by PaO(2)/FiO(2) index than those found in normal parameters.