Closed-Loop Automatic Oxygen Control (CLAC) in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In preterm infants receiving supplemental oxygen, routine manual control (RMC) of the fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) is often difficult and time consuming. We developed a system for closed-loop automatic control (CLAC) of the FIO2 and demonstrated its short-term safety and efficacy in a single-center study. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that this system is more effective than RMC alone in maintaining arterial oxygen saturation within target levels when evaluated over 24 hours under routine conditions and with different target levels. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, randomized controlled, crossover clinical trial in 34 preterm infa…