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Reference intervals for end-tidal carbon monoxide of preterm neonates

Abstract

Objectives

We constructed reference intervals for end-tidal carbon monoxide (ETCOc) levels of neonates 28 0/7 to 34 6/7 weeks gestation in order to assess hemolytic rate.

Study design

This is a prospective four-NICU study in Bangkok, Thailand, and Utah, USA.

Results

Of 226 attempted measurements, 92% were successful. Values from day 1 through 28 were charted and upper (>95th percentile) reference interval limits calculated. During the entire 28 days, the ETCOc upper reference intervals from babies in Bangkok were higher than those in Utah (p < 0.01). No differences were found due to sex, or earliest vs. latest gestation at birth (both p > 0.1). Similar to term neonates, preterm neonates in Bangkok and Utah had higher ETCOc values during the first 48 h after birth than thereafter (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Using this methodology, and the reference interval chart, the hemolytic rate of preterm infants ≥28 weeks can be assessed.

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Fig. 1: Upper reference interval (95th percentile) for ETCOc of preterm infants 28 0/7 through 34 6/7 weeks gestation at birth, during the first 28 days after birth.

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Code availability

The computer code used for statistical analysis is available by request from the corresponding author.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

SP: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, editing and final approval of manuscript. TRC: collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, editing and final approval of manuscript. TMB: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, editing and final approval of manuscript. EG: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, editing and final approval of manuscript. MJS: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, editing and final approval of manuscript. KSC: collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, editing and final approval of manuscript. S. Supapannachart: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, editing and final approval of manuscript. PN: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, editing and final approval of manuscript. S. Sukwiset: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, editing and final approval of manuscript. RKO: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, editing and final approval of manuscript. RDC: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, editing and final approval of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timothy M. Bahr.

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Competing interests

CoSense End Tidal CO monitors and Precision Sampling Sets were provided by Capnia, Inc, Foster City, CA, USA. None of the authors has any conflict of interest.

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Pakdeeto, S., Christensen, T.R., Bahr, T.M. et al. Reference intervals for end-tidal carbon monoxide of preterm neonates. J Perinatol 42, 116–120 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01207-2

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