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Reproducibility of Microvascular Vessel Density Analysis in Sidestream Dark‐Field‐Derived Images of Healthy Term Newborns
Author(s) -
Berg Victor J.,
Elteren Hugo A.,
Buijs Erik A. B.,
Ince Can,
Tibboel Dick,
Reiss Irwin K. M.,
Jonge Rogier C. J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
microcirculation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.793
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1549-8719
pISSN - 1073-9688
DOI - 10.1111/micc.12163
Subject(s) - reproducibility , medicine , microcirculation , limits of agreement , nuclear medicine , radiology , chemistry , chromatography
Abstract Objective Microcirculatory visualization has already been used to investigate buccal and cutaneous microcirculatory alterations in neonates. Still, the reproducibility of these microvascular measurements has never been studied in (premature) neonates. This study aimed to determine the reproducibility of microvascular vessel density in cutaneous and buccal SDF clips in one‐day‐old term newborns. Methods Buccal and cutaneous microcirculations were measured using SDF imaging. Vessel density was independently assessed by two investigators. Reproducibility was assessed from the ICC and Bland–Altman analysis. Results Reproducibility of vessel density assessment in the buccal area was good, with ICC s for total and PVD of 0.93 (0.88–0.97) and 0.93 (95% CI 0.85–0.97), respectively, and a near zero bias and acceptable limits of agreement in the Bland–Altman analysis. Reproducibility of assessment of the cutaneous microcirculation was poor with ICC s for total and PVD of 0.31 (0–0.70) and 0.37 (0–0.74), respectively, and large biases (3.09 and 2.53) in the Bland–Altman analysis. Conclusions Evaluation of buccal microvascular vessel density in SDF ‐derived images in term newborns is reproducible in contrary to the cutaneous vessel density.