Accuracy of the CNAP monitor, a noninvasive continuous blood pressure device, in providing beat-to-beat blood pressure readings in the prone position

Study Objective: To assess the accuracy of a noninvasive continuous arterial pressure (CNAP) monitor in patients who are positioned prone in the operating room. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Operating room at a children's hospital. Patients: 20 pediatric patients, aged 13.8 +/- 2 years, and weight 63.7 +/- 18.8 kg, scheduled for surgery in the prone position, and for which arterial catheter placement was planned. Interventions: Measurements were recorded with an arterial line (AL) and a new noninvasive continuous blood pressure (BP) monitor. Measurements: Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial (MAP) pressure readings were captured from an arterial cannula and the CNAP device every minute during anesthesia. Main Results: The study cohort consisted of analysis of 4104 pairs of SBP, DBP, and MAP values, which showed an absolute difference between the AL and CNAP device readings of 7.9 +/- 6.3 mmHg for SBP, 5.3 +/- 4.3 mmHg for DBP, and 4.6 +/- 3.9 mmHg for MAP. Bland-Altman analysis of MAP values showed a bias of 0.26 mmHg, with upper and lower limits of agreement of 12.18 mmHg and -11.67 mmHg, respectively. CNAP readings deviated from arterial values by <= 5 mmHg in 67% of MAP values, 59% of DBP values, and 43% of SBP readings. The difference was <= 10 mmHg for 94% of MAP readings, 90% of DBP values, and 73% of SBP readings. Conclusions: During prone positioning, the CNAP monitor provided clinically acceptable accuracy for MAP values, similar to those reported in adults in the supine position. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.