OBJECTIVE: To describe the results of a home oxygen therapy program consisting of the use oxygen concentrator by children discharged from a neonatal unit during their first 10 years of the program. METHODS: Cross-sectional analytical study with data collection from November 1996 to December 2006. All infants that needed home oxygen therapy after discharge from the neonatal unit of a public university hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were studied. RESULTS: We identified 160 infants who used home oxygen therapy during the period and 63.3% of them had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. A mean of 3.0% of all hospitalized patients and 8.6% of very low birth weight newborns were discharged on oxygen. The mean duration of home oxygen therapy was 42.3±54.0 days. Significant differences were not found when comparing demographic characteristics of the population and duration of home oxygen therapy. There was no correlation between the duration of mechanical ventilation and the duration of home oxygen therapy. In addition to the use of oxygen and medications, 22.3% of the infants needed special care. In the first 2 years of life, the infants' morbidity and mortality rates were, respectively, 40.1% and 14.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an oxygen concentrator at home is a feasible therapeutic alternative in Brazil; therefore, it deserves more attention from health professionals and greater investments from health institutions. Further national studies are needed to improve the quality of care and the safety of these programs intended for the neonatal population.
oxygen therapy; bronchopulmonary dysplasia; premature infant; neonatology; home nursing
