Work

Validating a Wearable Bluetooth Oximeter for Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Introduction Oxygen is vital for life but the wrong amount of oxygen can lead to significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Preterm infants are at particular risk from both too little (hypoxia) and excess (hyperoxia) oxygen. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), oxygen treatment is guided by oximetry derived from wired oximeters which are difficult to use outside of the hospital environment. We aimed to validate Bluetooth wireless oximeters in newborn infants to determine the accuracy of devices that would be more suitable for out of hospital use. Methods Three 20 min sets of measurements including oxygen saturations (SpO 2 ), heart rate (HR) and perfusion index (PI) from the post‐ductal regions (left arm and lower limbs) were conducted in 21 spontaneously ventilating infants using the Masimo (1) SafetyNet and (2) Radical 7 oximeters. The wired Radical 7 oximeter was the reference. Data were downloaded onto CSV files and analysed for agreement. Results Twenty‐one (eight male) infants were recruited between July to September 2023. Median gestations and ages were 36 weeks and 3 days. Neither Bluetooth device (SafetyNet and wireless Radical 7) met International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard (ARMSE ≤ 3%), Score 3.624 (wireless Rad‐7) and 3.884 (SafetyNet). Both wearables consistently overestimated SpO 2 , with mean biases (wired‐wearable) of −1.802 (Rad‐7) and −1.803 (SafetyNet), that increased at lower SpO 2 levels. Linear regression, ICC, Pearson's correlation analyses showed poor consistency. Conclusion Wireless oximeters have poor correlation with wired oximeters especially at lower SpO 2 levels but ease of use, especially in the home environment in less acutely ill patients, requires further evaluation.

Source: Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

DOI: 10.1111/jpc.70622

Authors: Amy Courtney, Ju Lee Oei

Institutions: UNSW Sydney, The University of Sydney, Royal Hospital for Women

Language: English

Topic: Non-Invasive Vital Sign Monitoring

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,150