A Pilot Evaluation of a Capacitance-Based Automatic Urinometer in a Pediatric Intensive Care Setting

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care medicine
• Medical device technology
• Urology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of hourly diuresis is crucial for monitoring fluid balance in critically ill children.
• Existing manual urinometers require frequent manual readings, which can be time-consuming and prone to error.
• A modified capacitance-based automatic urinometer was developed to potentially improve measurement accuracy and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the measurement precision of a modified automatic urinometer against a manual urinometer in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate healthcare staff's opinions and preferences regarding the usability of the automatic urinometer.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational cohort study was conducted in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
• Hourly diuresis was measured using both automatic (Sippi) and manual (Unometer Safeti Plus) urinometers in children weighing up to 10 kg.
• Measurements were validated using a measuring cylinder, and staff usability was assessed via questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The absolute mean bias was -1.1 mL for the automatic urinometer and -0.6 mL for the manual urinometer (p = 0.21), with comparable standard deviations (2.6 mL vs. 2.8 mL).
• The majority of surveyed staff (n=18) preferred the automatic urinometer regarding ease of use, learning, and handling.
• Both devices showed comparable performance in measuring hourly diuresis in the studied pediatric population.

Conclusions:

• The modified automatic urinometer exhibits comparable measurement precision to manual urinometers in children up to 10 kg.
• Overwhelmingly positive staff feedback on ease of use and handling supports the adoption of the automatic urinometer.
• The automatic urinometer is a viable option for clinical use in PICU settings, offering potential benefits in efficiency and user satisfaction.