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Abstract

Objective: To determine the accuracy and precision of end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring through capnography in ventilated neonates.
Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
Place and Duration of Study: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jun 2019 to Dec 2019.
Methodology: End-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) and capillary blood pairs were obtained from 100 ventilated neonates. The patients were monitored by mainstream capnography. A total of 400 observations were made using four paired samples of end-tidal carbon dioxide and capillary blood from each patient.
Results: Four hundred end-tidal carbon dioxide and capillary blood pairs from 100 neonates were analyzed for PCO2. Little difference was found at each time point. However, the mean difference was found little higher at time point 4 between end tidal (53.8 ± 10.4) and capillary blood gas (58.9 ± 10.5). We found significant correlation at each time point (ICC 1st = 0.99, ICC 2nd = 0.99, ICC 3rd = 0.99, ICC 4th = 0.97, p<0.001).
Conclusion: End-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring is an easy, noninvasive method that gives reliable values of partial pressure of carbon dioxide which are comparable to the capillary blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide.