Use of non‐invasive total hemoglobin measurement as a screening tool for anemia in children

Universal screening for anemia is important in children, but invasive blood sampling is required. A new device ( R adical‐7® P ulse CO ‐ O ximeter™, M asimo, I rvine, CA , USA ) now enables non‐invasive hemoglobin concentration ( SpHb ) measurement to be done, but the usefulness of this device for anemia screening in children is unclear. The objective of this study was to compare SpHb with complete blood count ( CBC ) using a hematology analyzer ( M icrosemi® LC ‐ 667CRP ; F ukuda D enshi, T okyo, J apan). SpHb measurement with R adical‐7® was done as part of a medical check‐up in 3‐year‐old children ( n = 110). Another 43 pediatric patients were checked for CBC using M icrosemi® and monitored with R adical‐7®. The mean SpHb level of the 3‐year‐old children was 12.1 ± 0.64 g/dL (range, 10.8–13.7 g/dL). The correlation of Radical‐7® and Microsemi® was 0.602 ( P < 0.0001). On B land– A ltman comparison, bias was −0.6 ± 1.1 g/dL. Even though further improvement is required, R adical‐7® offers many possibilities in the context of primary screening.