Continuous integrated distal capnography in infants ventilated with high frequency ventilation

Objective To assess within a feasibility study the correlation, agreement, and trending of continuous integrated distal capnography (dCap) with PaCO2 in infants on HFV. Study design Sixteen premature infants [median (range) gestational age: 26.5 (24.7–34.7) weeks], ventilated with HFV (mean ± SD airway pressure: 8.1 ± 2.1 cmH2O, FiO2: 0.39 ± 0.21) for RDS, intubated with a double‐lumen endotracheal‐tube and whose data were recorded on a bedside computer participated in the study. Side‐stream dCap was measured via the extra‐port of a double‐lumen endotracheal‐tube by a Microstream capnograph, with a specially designed software for HFV and compared with simultaneous PaCO2. Integrated time‐window analysis of the data was performed retrospectively on data collected prospectively. Results Analysis included 195 measurements. The correlation of dCap with PaCO2 (r = 0.68, P 60 mmHg) or low (