Limitations of Transcutaneous Po2 and Pco2 Monitoring in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

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Abstract
Despite the well-documented correlation between transcutaneous and arterial PO2 [partial pressure of O2] and PCO2 in sick neonates, the effect of maturation on this relationship has not been well characterized. Eight premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and indwelling arterial lines beyond the immediate neonatal period were studied. Transcutaneous PO2 always underestimated PaO2 beyond 10 wk of postnatal life, such that transcutaneous PO2 - PaO2 was -16 .+-. 5 torr (.PI. L 0.001). Corrected transcutaneous PCO2 simulataneously overestimated PaCO2 by 9 .+-. 3 torr (P < 0.001), although this occurred over a wider range of postnatal ages. Transcutaneous PO2 monitoring may be a useful tool for estimating PaO2 in this population, provided an appropriate correction is made beyond 10 wk of age. Caution should be exercised when using transcutaneous PCO2 measurements to estimate absolute arterial values in older infants with BPD.