Cyanosis in the Newborn Infant
Joseph A. Kitterman MD1
1 Department of Pediatrics and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
The presence of cyanosis in a newborn infant indicates the presence of potentially serious and life-threatening disease. There are only five physiologic abnormalities that produce arterial desaturation, although numerous different clinical entities may result in cyanosis. In all but a few cases, an accurate diagnosis can be made with the use of clinical and relatively simple laboratory data. In addition to supportive treatment, specific therapy should be directed at the underlying cause of cyanosis. The prognosis depends upon the nature of the clinical condition responsible for cyanosis; in most cases, the prognosis for survival and normal development is good.
