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Updated: Nov 15, 2025
P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
Quality of poly(somno)graphy recordings in children
Jorge Olmo Arroyo1, Livio De Sanctis1, Lynda Sidhoum1
1Pediatric Noninvasive Ventilation and Sleep Unit, AP-HP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
Insights
This study assessed polysomnography device signal quality in children. Nasal pressure and oronasal thermistor sensors showed the lowest scorability, especially in infants, highlighting a need for improved pediatric monitoring devices.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Polysomnography (PSG) is crucial for diagnosing pediatric sleep disorders.
- Accurate signal acquisition is essential for reliable PSG interpretation.
- Existing PSG sensors may have limitations in pediatric populations, particularly in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the signal presence and quality (scorability) of four polysomnography devices and one transcutaneous carbon dioxide (PtcCO2) monitoring device in children.
- To identify sensors with suboptimal performance, especially in younger children.
- To inform the development of improved pediatric sleep monitoring technologies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of signal presence and quality from 364 polysomnographies conducted over 5 months in 12 hospital units.
- Inclusion of data from children aged ≤2 years and >2 years, considering cooperation and behavioral disorders.
- Assessment of sensors including electroencephalogram, thoracic/abdominal belts, body position, microphone, pulse oximetry, tracheal sound, oronasal thermistor, nasal pressure, and PtcCO2.
Main Results:
- Signal presence varied by sensor, with electroencephalogram (99%) and thoracic belt (99%) showing high presence, while nasal pressure (52%) and oronasal thermistor (71%) had lower presence.
- Good signal quality was achieved for body position (98%) and microphone (96%), but was lower for electroencephalogram (78%), nasal pressure (73%), and PtcCO2 (46%).
- Nasal pressure and oronasal thermistor exhibited the lowest scorability, particularly in children aged ≤2 years.
Conclusions:
- The scorability of polysomnography signals in children varies significantly across different sensors.
- Nasal pressure and oronasal thermistor sensors are less reliable in young children, necessitating further research and development.
- There is a clear need for improved, potentially face-free, or miniaturized sensors tailored for infant and pediatric polysomnography.
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to assess the scorability of the signals of four poly(somno)graphy devices and transcutaneous carbon dioxide tracings (PtcCO2 ) of one device in children. The presence (0%, < 25%, 25%-50%, 50%-75%, 75%-99%, 100% of recording time) and quality (bad, average, good) of the signal of each sensor were analysed. During a 5-month period, 364 poly(somno)graphies were performed in 12 different hospital units. Forty-one children had poor/bad cooperation, and 13 severe behaviour disorders. Seventy-one and 293 poly(somno)graphies were performed in children aged ≤ 2 and > 2 years, respectively; nine poly(somno)graphies failed. For the four poly(somno)graphy devices, the signal was present during 99% of recording time for the electroencephalogram, 99% for thoracic belt, 97% for abdominal belt, 97% for body position, 95% for the microphone, 92% for pulse oximetry, 87% for tracheal sound, 71% for oronasal thermistor, 52% (41% for ≤ 2 years, 55% for > 2 years old) for nasal pressure and 86% for PtcCO2 . The signal was of good quality in 98% of poly(somno)graphies for body position, 96% for microphone, 96% for thoracic belt, 95% for pulse oximetry, 91% for abdominal belt, 91% for tracheal sound, 82% for oronasal thermistor, 78% for electroencephalogram, 73% for nasal pressure and 46% of PtcCO2 recordings. The scorability was comparable between devices. Nasal pressure and oronasal thermistor had the lowest scorability, especially in children aged ≤ 2 years. This underlines the necessity of the development or improvement of alternative, ideally face-free, sensors, or miniaturized devices adapted for infants and children.
