〈Originals〉Evaluation of peripheral circulation in low-birth-weight infants using the peripheral perfusion index

publisher[Abstract] The peripheral perfusion index (PPI), mean arterial blood pressure, lactic acid value (Lac), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd), and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) within 24 hr and 48-72 hr after birth were measured in 16 infants admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to assess the usefulness of PPI for the evaluation of peripheral circulation in low-birth-weight infants. The mean PPI was 0.66± 0.4 (24 hr after birth) and 0.57+0.19 (48-72 hr after birth). The mean arterial blood pressure was 33.8+6.0 mmHg (24 hr after birth) and 34.3+4.1 mmHg (48-72 hr after birth). EF was 66.6+6.5％ (24 hr after birth) and 70.3±5.3％ (48-72 hr after birth), andLVDd was 1.24± 0.17 cm (24 hr after birth) and 1.21±0.14 cm (48-72 hr after birth). The correlation between variations in PPI and LVDd at two points showed a positive correlation (r＝0.74, p＜0.05), and PPI and mean arterial blood pressure (r＝0.72, p＜0.05), as well as PPI and EF (r＝0.85, p＜0.05), also showed positive correlations 24 hr after birth. These results suggest that PPI could be an effective way to evaluate peripheral circulation in low-birth-weight infants