Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
Use of an Integrated Low-Flow Anesthetic Vaporizer, Ventilator, and Physiological Monitoring System for Rodents
Published on: July 9, 2020
Sedation/agitation monitoring using a wearable device for ventilated children
Kanako Isaka1, Takeshi Hatachi1, Kanako Morita1
1Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Izumi, Japan.
Insights
A wearable accelerometer monitored sedation and agitation in ventilated children, proving feasible for continuous, labor-saving assessment. This method helps prevent complications like unplanned extubation in pediatric intensive care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Biomedical engineering
- Medical device technology
Background:
- Sedation and agitation monitoring in ventilated children is crucial for preventing adverse events like unplanned extubation.
- Current monitoring scales are often complex and labor-intensive.
- Developing continuous, automated methods is a significant clinical need.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using a wearable device with an accelerometer for continuous sedation/agitation monitoring in mechanically ventilated children.
- To assess the correlation between accelerometer-derived movement data and clinical agitation assessments.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational pilot study involving 20 children (≤15 years) on mechanical ventilation in the pediatric intensive care unit.
- A wearable accelerometer device was attached to an upper limb to measure accelerations for 2 hours post-admission or until extubation.
- Data on mean acceleration per minute was collected and compared with concurrent State Behavioral Scale (SBS) scores.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was found between mean accelerations and SBS scores (Kendall's τ = 0.22, p < 0.001).
- Median acceleration increased significantly with higher SBS scores, indicating greater movement.
- No adverse events were reported during the monitoring period.
Conclusions:
- Continuous, labor-saving sedation/agitation monitoring in ventilated children is feasible using a wearable accelerometer device.
- This technology offers a promising alternative to traditional, more cumbersome assessment methods.
- Further research can explore its integration into routine clinical practice.
Background:
Developing continuous and labor-saving sedation/agitation monitoring methods in ventilated children is important to avoid undesirable events such as unplanned extubation. The existing scales are often challenging to use. We therefore aimed to evaluate the feasibility of sedation/agitation monitoring using a wearable device with a built-in accelerometer for ventilated children.
Methods:
This prospective observational pilot study included children aged 15 years or less, admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit on mechanical ventilation after cardiac catheterization between December 2021 and April 2022. The wearable device with a built-in accelerometer was attached to either of the upper limbs, and accelerations due to upper limb movements were measured for 2 h after admission or until extubation, whichever was earliest. Accelerations were measured at 0.02 s intervals, with the mean acceleration calculated for each 1 min interval. The State Behavioral Scale (SBS) was completed at 1 min intervals, with the SBS score (-1, 0, 1, or 2) compared with the mean acceleration.
Results:
The study included 20 children with a median age of 12 months. The mean accelerations and SBS scores were positively correlated (Kendall's τ, 0.22; p < 0.001), with an increase in the median (interquartile range) acceleration from an SBS score of -1 through 2, as follows: SBS -1, 0.200 (0.151-0.232) m/s2 ; SBS 0, 0.202 (0.190-0.235) m/s2 ; SBS, 1, 0.312 (0.236-0.427) m/s2 ; SBS 2, 0.455 (0.332-0.517) m/s2 . No adverse events were observed.
Conclusions:
This study showed that continuous, labor-saving sedation/agitation monitoring of ventilated children was feasible using a wearable device with a built-in accelerometer.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pulse rhythm
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac...
01:20Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
01:23Holter Monitor: 24-Hour Monitoring