Abstract
Background and aim: Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) allows the measurement of lung volume changes through the assessment of chest wall surface motion. It has been shown that it provides an accurate estimation of total and compartmental (rib cage and abdomen) lung volume changes in adults during spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation and in spontaneously breathing infants (REF). The aim of the present study is to evaluate the accuracy of OEP in infants during continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP).
Methods: 5 infants (GA=27.9±3.6, PNA=3.8±3.6, BW=1077±461) were studied for ∼ 2 minutes at CPAP 0, 4 and 8 cmH2O. Flow was measured at the inlet of a full-face mask by a mesh-type pneumotacograph connected to a differential pressure transducer. Chest wall volume changes were measured by OEP (DVOEP) and compared with lung volume changes obtained by integrating the flow signal (DVPNT).
Results: We analysed a total of 602 breaths at 0 cmH2O, 523 at 4 cmH2O, and 150 at 8 cmH2O. The mean difference between DVOEP and DVPNT for all newborns was -0.45±3.92% of Vt at 0 cm H2O, -4.25±9.04% at 4 cmH2O and -8.31±3.87% at 8 cmH2O. Pooling data points from all infants and all pressure levels, Bland-Altman and linear regression analysis showed good agreement between the two measurement techniques (see Fig).

Conclusions: OEP can be used to assess lung volume changes and breathing pattern noninvasively in newborns supported by CPAP.
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Zannin, E., Natile, M., Dellaca', R. et al. 1355 Measurement of Chest Wall Volume Changes by Optoelectronic Plethysmography in Newborns During Cpap. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 671 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01355
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01355