MUMBAI: A leading public hospital has proposed a simple method to predict which Covid-19 patients are likely to require oxygen support or higher care during hospitalisation.
In a research paper published in the latest edition of JAPI, doctors from KEM Hospital’s pulmonary medicine department said the assessment only requires one’s oxygen saturation readings to be taken once while lying down and immediately another reading while sitting up.
If the readings differ quite a bit, it is possible the patient has Covid-induced platypnea-orothodeoxia syndrome (POS) — a condition in which breathlessness is alleviated when lying down and worsens while sitting or standing up.
“Even a fall in oxygen saturation in sitting position as compared to supine position can predict the need for oxygen therapy,” said the study.
The doctors, led by head of department Dr Amita Athawale, said POS could be an “uncommonly common bedside sign”.
“Normally it should be equal in sitting and lying down position.
But in Covid, different readings in sitting or standing position suggest s/he be checked early for hypoxia.”