Validation of respiratory inductance plethysmography ("Respitrace") for the measurement of tidal breathing parameters in newborns.

INTRODUCTION: The ratio of the time to reach peak (maximum) tidal expiratory flow (Tme) to total expiratory time (Te) is smaller in infants who later develop lower respiratory tract disease. In previous studies infants have been sedated and flow measured using a pneumotachograph with face-mask. These methodological factors are known to affect tidal breathing, and the frequent need for sedation limits the use of the technique to relatively small studies. The aim of this study was to validate uncalibrated respiratory inductance plethysmography (Respitrace) to measure Tme/Te in unsedated newborns.
METHODS: Nineteen normal term infants were studied during quiet sleep. Agreement between Tme/Te measured directly using a pneumotachograph and with Respitrace was assessed in 15 infants. Repeatability of the Respitrace technique was assessed in 10 infants.
RESULTS: The mean Tme/Te for the 19 infants using Respitrace was 0.46 (S.D. 0.14). The mean difference between Tme/Te obtained using Respitrace and that measured with a pneumotachograph was 0.014; 95% of Respitrace readings were between -0.042 and 0.070 of the pneumotachograph values. The mean difference between repeat Respitrace values was 0.02 with 95% of the second measurements within 0.066 of the first.
CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that Respitrace can be used to determine Tme/Te accurately.