Arterial Blood Pressure in the Very Low Birthweight Neonate

Abstract
The noninvasive oscillometric technique of arterial blood pressure determination was evaluated in fifteen very low birth weight neonates (< 1 400 g). Measurement of invasive umbilical artery catheter pressure was used as a reference standard. By using a cuff width to arm circumference ratio of 0.33-0.42, mean blood pressure was overestimated by 6.2 (7.2) mmHg (mean and 1 SD), p < 0.001. More accurate mean blood pressure measurements were recorded with a cuff width to arm circumference ratio of 0.44-0.55. Measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed similar results.