A feasibility study evaluating a reservoir storage system for continuous oxygen delivery for children with hypoxemia in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Supplemental oxygen is an essential treatment for childhood pneumonia but is often unavailable in low-resource settings or unreliable due to frequent and long-lasting power outages. We present a novel medium pressure reservoir (MPR) which delivers continuous oxygen to pediatric patients through power outages. METHODS: An observational case series pilot study assessing the capacity, efficacy and user appraisal of a novel MPR device for use in low-resource pediatric wards. We designed and tested a MPR in a controlled preclinical setting, established feasibility of the device in two rural Kenyan hospitals, and sought user feedback and satisfaction using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Preclinical data showed that the MPR was capable of bridging power outages and delivering a continuous flow of oxygen to a simulated patient. The MPR was then deployed for clinical testing in nine pediatric patients at Ahero and Suba Hospitals. Power was unavailable for 2% of the total time observed due to 11 power outages (median 4.6 min, IQR 3.6-13.0 min) that occurred during treatment with the MPR. Oxygen flowrates remained constant across all 11 power outages. Feedback on the MPR was uniformly positive; all respondents indicated that the MPR was easy to use and provided clinically significant help to their patients. CONCLUSION: We present a MPR oxygen delivery device that has the potential to mitigate power insecurity and improve the standard of care for hypoxemic pediatric patients in resource-limited settings.

Feasibility, performance and acceptability of an innovative vital signs monitor for sick newborns in Western Kenya: A mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for 99% of the global neonatal mortality. Limited access to advanced technology, such as bedside patient monitors contributes to disproportionately poor outcomes for critically ill newborns in LMICs. We designed a study to assess the feasibility, performance, and acceptability of a low-cost wireless wearable technology for continuous monitoring of sick newborns in resource-limited settings. Methods: This was a mixed-methods implementation study conducted between March and April 2021 at two health facilities in Western Kenya. Inclusion criteria for newborns monitored included: age 0 to 28 days, birthweight ≥2.0 kg, low-to-moderate severity of illness at admission and the guardian's willingness to provide informed consent. Medical staff who participated in monitoring the newborns were surveyed about their experience with the technology. We used descriptive statistics to summarize our quantitative findings and qualitative data was coded and analyzed as an iterative process to summarize quotes on user acceptability. Results: The results of the study demonstrated that adoption of neoGuard was feasible and acceptable in this setting. Medical staff described the technology as safe, user-friendly and efficient, after successfully monitoring 134 newborns. Despite the positive user experience, we did observe some notable technology performance issues such as a high percentage of missing vital signs data. Conclusion: The results of this study were critical in informing the iterative process of refining and validating an innovative vital signs monitor for patients in resource-limited settings. Further research and development are underway to optimize neoGuard's performance and to examine its clinical impact and cost effectiveness.

Oxygen insecurity and mortality in resource-constrained healthcare facilities in rural Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death globally in children. Supplemental oxygen reduces mortality but is not available in many low-resource settings. Inadequate power supply to drive oxygen concentrators is a major contributor to this failure. The objectives of our study were to (a) assess the availability of therapeutic oxygen; (b) evaluate the reliability of the electrical supply; and (c) investigate the effects of suboptimal oxygen delivery on patient outcomes in selected healthcare facilities in rural Kenya. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study on oxygen availability and descriptive case series of Kenyan children and youth hospitalized with hypoxemia. RESULTS: Two of 11 facilities had no oxygen equipment and nine facilities had at least one concentrator or cylinder. Facilities had a median of seven power interruptions per week (range: 2-147). The median duration of the power outage was 17 minutes and the longest was more than 6 days. The median proportion of time without power was out 7% (range: 1%-58%). Fifty-seven patients hospitalized with hypoxemia (median oxygen saturation 85% [interquartile range {IQR}: 82-87]) were included in our case series. Patients received supplemental oxygen for a median duration of 4.6 hours (IQR: 3.0-7.8). Eighteen patients (32%) faced an oxygen interruption of the median duration of 11 minutes (IQR: 9-20). A back-up cylinder was used in 5/18 (28%) cases. The case fatality rate was 11/57 (19%). CONCLUSION: Mortality due to hypoxemia remains unacceptably high in low-resource healthcare facilities and may be associated with oxygen insecurity, related to lack of equipment and/or reliable power.