Clinical Applicability of Oscillometric Blood Pressure Measurement in Premature Infants in Comparison with Intra-arterial Measurement

Abstract

The reliability of measuring of indirect blood pressure(BP) in premature infants was analyzed by comparing the oscillometric blood pressure reading on the arm with direct blood pressure reading from the umbilical catheters. Eight neonates, with a mean gestational age of 27.6±3 weeks and a mean birth body weight of 1045±363gm, were enrolled in the study. The systolc BP(SBP), diastolic BP(DBP), and mean BP(MBP) obtained by the two methods were analyzed. Although there was a significant correlation Between the pairs of readdings for SBP, DBP, and MBP(r=0.61,0.51,0.70 respecively, P＜0.004 for all); the 95%confidence intervals for individual measurements exceeded 20mmHg for SBP and DBP, and 15mmHg for MBP. We conclude that(1)for MBP, the discrepancy between the two methods may be clinically acceptable but there was a greater variability for SBP and DBP which may be unreliable, (2)the normative direct BP standards for newborns may not be a valid reference for indirect BP values, (3)cautious interpretations of oscillometric Bpvalues in critical and very low birth weight neonates is mandatory.