A Preliminary Study in Neonatal Cardiorespiratory Monitoring through Diaphragmatic Electromyography

Cardiorespiratory monitoring continues to be a challenge in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to the sensitivity of current techniques to false alarms and artifacts. Surface diaphragmatic electromyography (EMGdi) can be used to measure directly the respiratory muscles activity and to reduce motion artifacts. We propose to acquire ECG and EMGdi with the electrodes placed on the diaphragm to measure heart and respiratory rate in neonates. Data from fourteen neonates was analyzed to compare the measurements of the signal acquired in the diaphragm with the ECG bipolar leads and a reference respiration signal from piezoelectric respiratory effort belt. Bland-Altman plots showed agreement between heart rate monitoring in the diaphragm with no significant differences. Detection of breaths showed similar results in the EMGdi derived wave compared with the reference signal. Thus, heart and respiration rate monitoring in neonates can be accomplished with ECG and EMG signals acquired from the diaphragm.