ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Point of care estimation of haemoglobin in neonates

Lucy E Hinds¹, Caroline L Brown² and Simon J Clark³

¹ Paediatric Department, Barnsley Hospital Foundation Trust, Barnsley, UK
² Academic Unit of Child Health, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Sheffield, UK
³ The Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK

Correspondence to:
Dr Lucy E Hinds, Paediatric Department, Barnsley Hospital Foundation Trust, Barnsley, UK; markandlucyhinds{at}gmail.com

Objective: To evaluate whether measurement of haemoglobin concentration in neonates using point of care testing agrees with laboratory measurement.

Design: 127 paired blood samples taken from babies on a neonatal intensive care unit for full blood count and blood gas analysis by point of care testing were reviewed according to current practice. A comparison was made between the laboratory and blood gas analyser haemoglobin measurements to assess limits of agreement and look for any systematic difference.

Setting: Neonatal Unit, Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK

Patients: Babies staying on the neonatal unit, who currently have contemporaneous blood samples taken for full blood count and blood gas analysis by point of care testing.

Intervention: Results from blood samples were reviewed.

Main outcome measure: Comparison between laboratory and point of care testing haemoglobin concentrations.

Results: The mean laboratory haemoglobin concentration was 155 g/l (range 30–226 g/l); the mean point of care testing haemoglobin concentration was 157 g/l (range 30–228 g/l). The mean (SD) difference between paired samples was 2 (11) g/l; 95% CI –4.0 to 0.1 g/l; and limits of agreement –23 to 19 g/l.

Conclusions: The blood gas analyser on the neonatal unit at Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, gives a useful estimation of haemoglobin concentration compared with laboratory measurement, with smaller sample volume. Although this does not replace a full blood count, it is a useful adjunct to neonatal care monitoring.

Keywords: point of care testing (POCT); haemoglobin concentration; neonatal unit; anaemia; blood gas analyser

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Arthurs, O. J, Kelsall, A W (2008). Point of care estimation in neonates: not just for haemoglobin. Arch. Dis. Child. 93: 353-354 [Full Text]  
• McNamara, R, Molloy, E J (2008). Rationalising the use of "growing bloods" in stable preterm infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 93: F171-F172 [Full Text]