Supplemental oxygen for preterm infants is paramount against respiratory insufficiency related to preterm birth, but is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, supplemental oxygen helps prevent hypoxia which can lead tomorbidity andmortality. But, inappropriate administration of oxygen can lead to hyperoxia, which is related to morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity and neurodevelopmental impairment. Oxygen must therefore be carefully titrated within a safe range, but this is a difficult task. Automated titration of the administered oxygen by a machine – an automated oxygen controller – can help reduce hypoxia and hyperoxia, and improve the time within this safe, or target, range. However, which commercially available automated oxygen controller is most effective is unknown, as is the effect of using an automated oxygen controller on clinical and long-term outcome. This thesis provides an overview of outcomes after using two different automated oxygen controllers employing different titration strategies.
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