PILOT STUDY OF ONE-PIECE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) SYSTEM FOR INFANTS

这个子项目是众多研究子项目之一

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Electrocardiogram(ECG) is a clinical test used frequently in hospitals and physician's offices. ECG is mostly performed in adults, especially elderly people. Current ECG machines and leads systems are designed for use inadults. Recently, there have been discussions in many nations, includingthe US, to implement a nationwide newborn ECG screening program to identify infantswith long QT syndrome who might be at risk for sudden cardiac death. The demand for pediatric ECG will likely increase significantly in the nearfuture. Therefore, there is an urgent need for simple, quick and error-proof ECG leads system for infants and children. Performingan ECG on an infant or a child can be quite challenging. Placing the leads on children is difficult because of limited space on the torso and they are frequently uncooperative. Furthermore, performing ECG on children using the complicated leads system by inexperienced nurses or technicians is prone to error, such as wrong leads placement, artifacts, and inadequate ECG signal acquisition. Therefore, there is clearly a need for a simple ECG leads system designed for pediatric patients which saves time and prevents human errors. The PI has invented a single chest strip ECG leads system to save time and prevent errors from leads placement. This ECG leads system is designed to work with current, commercial ECG machines. It is used to replace complicated ECG cables, but it does not alter the ECG machine. The purpose of this research study is to test a one-piece quick ECG electrode system for infants and compare with traditional ECG leads system. To test the safety and feasibility of the one-piece ECG system, a pilot study on 20 adults has recently been completed. This pilot study shows that the one-piece ECG system is safe and effective in adults. One-piece system shortened the lead placement time by 55% and total test duration by 43%. The majority of subjects in this pilot study prefer the new one-piece ECG system. The current study aims to test the safety and feasibility of the one-piece ECG system on 20 term infants 2 to 4 weeks of age.