Infant heart-rate measurement and oxygen desaturation detection with a digital video camera using imaging photoplethysmography

Objective To assess the feasibility of using an ordinary digital video camera to measure heart rate and detect oxygen desaturations in healthy infants. Study design Heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured with a video camera by detecting small color changes in 28 infants' foreheads and compared with standard pulse oximetry measures. Multivariable regression examined the relationship between infant characteristics and heart-rate measurement precision. Results The average bias of camera heart-rate measures was -4.2 beats per minute (BPM) and 95% limits of agreement were +/- 43.8 BPM. Desaturations detected by camera were 75% sensitive (15/20) and had a positive predictive value of 20% (15/74). Lower birth-weight was independently correlated with more precise heart-rate measures (8.05 BPM per kg, [95% CI 0.764-15.3]). Conclusions A digital video camera provides accurate but imprecise measures of infant heart rate and may provide a rough screening tool for oxygen desaturations.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the feasibility of using a digital video camera to measure infant heart rate and detect oxygen desaturations. Results showed that the camera heart-rate measures had an average bias of -4.2 beats per minute and the desaturations detected had a sensitivity of 75% and positive predictive value of 20%.