Accuracy of Transcutaneous Carbon Dioxide Measurement in Premature Infants

Abstract

Background.In premature infants, maintaining blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) value within a narrow range is important to avoid cerebral lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of a noninvasive transcutaneous method (TcpCO2), compared to blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2).Methods.Retrospective observational study in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. We analyzed the correlation between blood pCO2and transcutaneous values and the accuracy between the trends of blood pCO2and TcpCO2in all consecutive premature infants born at <33 weeks’ gestational age.Results.248 infants were included (median gestational age: 29 + 5 weeks and median birth weight: 1250 g), providing 1365 pairs of TcpCO2and blood pCO2values. Pearson’sRcorrelation between these values was 0.58. The mean bias was −0.93 kPa with a 95% confidence limit of agreement of −4.05 to +2.16 kPa. Correlation between the trends of TcpCO2and blood pCO2values was good in only 39.6%.Conclusions.In premature infants, TcpCO2was poorly correlated to blood pCO2, with a wide limit of agreement. Furthermore, concordance between trends was equally low. We warn about clinical decision-making on TcpCO2alone when used as continuous monitoring.