Abstract
With the exception of the first hours to days of life there is little information on blood pressures in VLBW infants. We documented an excellent correlation between aortic BP and oscillometric measurements (Narco Oscillometer) in sick VLBW infants over a wide range of BP (r=0.97-0.99). We then performed daily BP measurements by oscillometry in a group of sick newborns with birthweights <1500 g over the first 28 days of life.
We also performed simultaneous upper and lower extremity BP in 7 VLBW and 10 term infants in the first 12 days and found the levels to be virtually identical (r=0.99). These data provide reference values for BP in sick VLBW infants in the first month of life and show only a small increase after day 7. Contrary to some previous data, there is no difference between upper and lower extremity blood pressure in the newborn.
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Dewitte, D., Baker, M. & Maisels, M. BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) IN THE VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT NEWBORN (VLBW) - A LONGITUDINAL STUDY. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 318 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01352
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01352