Free radical-mediated tissue injury have gained great importance in the pathophysiology of various diseases including inflammation, infection, toxic and metabolic insults, carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis, and they have a prominent role in neonatal diseases. Preliminary provision for the production of hydroxyl radicals from reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species, which are responsible for tissue injury in free radical-mediated diseases, is the meeting of oxygen with free electrons and production of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Oxygen rapidly faces with free electrons by means of hypoxanthinexanthine oxidase-xanthine system during the reperfusion/reoxygenation phase after ischemia/hypoxia. The demonstration of hypoxanthine, a purine metabolite its, accumulation in all body fluids with tissue hypoxia, overproduction of oxygen radicals during scavenging of increasing hypoxanthine by hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase-xanthine system after ischemia/hypoxia, the positive correlation between the quantity of oxygen radicals synthesized by means of hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase-xanthine system and the concentrations of both hypoxanthine and oxygen have led to the idea that the use of intermediate (<100%) concentrations of oxygen and even room air (21% oxygen) might decrease the severity of posthypoxic reoxygenation injury (production of superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals). Indeed, the discussion about the use of room air versus 100% oxygen has not been resolved since the publication of the 2000 guidelines on neonatal resuscitation, and investigations are continuing. In this article, studies, metaanalyses and recent opinions regarding the use of room air versus 100% oxygen in neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room are summarized.

Keywords: doğum odası, neonatal resüsitasyon, yenidoğan, oda havası, %100 oksijen, delivery room, neonatal resuscitation, newborn, room air, 100% oxygen