ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation and agreement between end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) and arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO(2)) in ventilated extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants in the first week of life. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all ELBW (<1,000 g) infants admitted to a level III NICU from January 2003 to December 2003. Data collected included demographic details and simultaneous EtCO(2) (mainstream capnography) and arterial blood gas values (pH, PaCO(2), PaO(2)). Outcome: The correlation coefficient, degree of bias with 95% confidence interval between the EtCO(2) and PaCO(2). RESULTS: There were 754 end-tidal and arterial CO(2) pairs from 31 ELBW infants (21 male and 10 female). The overall EtCO(2) values were significantly lower than PaCO(2) value. In only 89/754(11.8%) pairs, the EtCO(2) was higher than the PaCO(2). The overall bias was 5.6 +/- 6.9 mmHg (95% C.I. 5.11-6.09). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.81. Using EtCO2 ranges of 30 to 50 mmHg, the capnographic method was able to identify 84% of instances where PaCO(2) was between 35 (<35 = hypocarbia) and 55 mmHg (>55= hypercapnia). Conclusions: There is good correlation and agreement between end-tidal CO(2) and arterial CO(2) in ELBW infants in the EtCO(2) range 30-50 mmHg. End-tidal CO(2) monitoring can be helpful in trending or for screening abnormal PaCO(2) values in ELBW infants in first week of life.
Subject(s)
Blood Gas Analysis , Capnography/methods , Carbon Dioxide/blood , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight/blood , Male , Respiration, Artificial , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/blood , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tidal VolumeABSTRACT
Feto-maternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is a serious fetal disorder resulting from platelet antigen incompatibility between the mother and the fetus. Intracranial bleeding is the most serious complication of alloimmune thrombocytopenia and can result in severe disability and death in utero. The authors report a case of intracerebral hemorrhage in utero resulting from alloimmune thrombocytopenia.