Transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring in the emergency department: a pilot study

Abstract

ABSTRACTStudy Objective: Pilot study to assess the potential place of transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring technology in the emergency department.Design: ProspectiveSetting: Urban emergency department.Type of participants: 30 patients requiring arterial blood gas analysis as part of their management.Measurement and main results: Subjects with capillary return time less than two seconds: Correlation of PTCCO2 versus PACO2 0.93, bias 0.2, precision 5.9. Subjects with capillary return time of greater than two seconds: Correlation PTCCO2 versus PACO2 0.46, bias ‐6.6, precision 20. Conclusions: Transcutaneous carbon dioxide measurements are unreliable in low flow states as defined by capillary return time of greater than two seconds. Measurement of transcutaneous carbon dioxide has the following potential uses in the emergency department:a) Monitoring carbon dioxide in patients with chronic airway limitation receiving oxygen therapy.b) A screening test in respiratory patients with normal peripheral perfusion.