Non-invasive Continuous Cardiac Output Monitoring in Preterm Infants Study

This is a 3-year prospective observational study.

Principal research question:

Is non-invasive continuous cardiac output (CO) measurement a validated tool of comprehensive cardiovascular assessment in neonatal intensive care (NICU)?

Secondary research questions:

• Can robust normal ranges of CO be constructed for neonates undergoing cardiovascular measurement?
• How do neonatal interventions (fluid boluses, ventilation and inotropes) affect CO?
• Does the Non-invasive continuous cardiac output monitoring in children with foetal growth restriction (FGR) differ from normative CO data as above (1)?

A prospective study of stable newborn babies in the postnatal ward and sick term and preterm infants in the NICU in 36 months.

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy term infants in postnatal ward (within the first 72 hours of age)
• Term and Preterm infants (including those with FGR) admitted to the neonatal unit
• Written informed parental consent (prospective for postnatal ward and retrospective for babies admitted to the neonatal units)

Exclusion criteria

• Antenatal or postnatal diagnosis of severe congenital anomaly
• Infants with no realistic chance of survival
• Infants who are >12 hours of age
• Infants with fragile skin not permitting skin probe placement