Objective: To compare the accuracy of pulse oximetry oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) measured on the wrist compared with the ipsilateral palm, and SpO 2 measured on the ankle compared with the ipsilateral sole.Study Design: In this prospective observational study, neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit were enrolled. We recorded SpO 2 (Masimo Radical-7 pulse oximeter) detected at the palm and ipsilateral wrist initially, then at 30 s, and at 1 min, and we repeated the same procedure over the sole and ipsilateral ankle. We recorded the time to obtain the SpO 2 readings from all these sites. Regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between paired SpO 2 measurements. The mean difference (bias) and standard deviation of the paired SpO 2 differences (precision) were calculated (Bland-Altman plots).Result: A total of 150 patients (birth weight 2381±1020 g, gestational age 34.3 ± 4.3 weeks, median postnatal age 3.5 days (25th-75th percentile 1-16 days)) were enrolled. There was a good correlation between SpO 2 measured at the palm versus the wrist (r ¼ 0.95, P<0.001 (right); r ¼ 0.97, P< 0.001 (left)) and between SpO 2 measured at the sole versus the ankle (r ¼ 0.92, P<0.001 (right); r ¼ 0.91, P<0.001 (left)). There was also a good agreement between paired SpO 2 measurements from these sites. The bias and precision for SpO 2 at the right palm and right wrist was 0.08 ± 0.94% and for the left palm and left wrist 0.22 ± 0.87%. Similarly, the bias and precision for SpO 2 at the right sole and right ankle was À0.03 ± 0.93% and for the left sole and left ankle was À0.01 ± 0.93%.
Conclusion:Our results show that the wrist and ankle can be used as alternative sites to measure SpO 2 in newborn infants in place of the routinely used palm or sole.