Comparison of Simultaneous Capillary Blood Gases and End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide in Mechanically Ventilated Pediatric Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure

In the follow-up of ventilation, invasive blood gas analysis and noninvasive monitoring of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) are used. We aimed to investigate the relationship between capillary partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PcCO2) levels and ETCO2 and also to investigate ETCO2's predictive feature of PcCO2 levels. This study included 28 female and 30 male pediatric patients; 28 patients were type-1 respiratory failure (RF), 16 patients were acute respiratory distress syndrome, and 14 patients were type-2 RF. Our results showed a significant correlation between ETCO2 and PcCO2. Although the strength of the correlation was weak throughout the measurements, the strength of this correlation increased significantly in type-2 RF.