Study results showed that combined neonatal examination and oxygen saturation screening detected only 78% of the newborns with LHOD, but when perfusion index (PI) was added, 100% of all newborns with LHOD showed abnormalities, indicating that PI may reflect abnormal blood flow from the heart in congenital heart defects (CHD) newborns.
All LHOD newborns had either pre- or postductal PI values below the interquartile cut-off value of 1.18 and five had values below a potential cut-off of 0.70, leading researchers to conclude that PI values lower than 0.70 may indicate illness and a value less than 0.50 indicates definite underperfusion.
Study findings suggest that a combination of saturation screening cut-offs with PI value cut-offs may help improve the early detection of congenital heart defects that have duct-dependent systemic circulation.
PI is a measurement featured in the Masimo Rainbow SET technology platform that reflects the real-time changes in peripheral blood flow at the monitored site and the strength of the plethysmographic signal displayed on the pulse oximeter. In addition to improving the detection of CHD in infants, the ability to noninvasively and continuously measure PI could enable faster identification of clinically significant changes in a patient’s physiologic status, including potentially hypothermia, hypovolemia, shock and sepsis.
Joe Kiani, chairman and CEO of Masimo, said: “When we introduced Masimo SET ten years ago, we knew that the improved accuracy and fidelity would allow clinicians to more tightly control the arterial oxygen levels of their patients, but it is truly remarkable to see research like this where our technology is being used to improve screening for congenital heart defects.”