In this study we evaluated the possibility of using transcutaneous muscle contraction sensors to measure intra-abdominal pressure. The study was conducted between June 27 2018 and June 24 2019 and included 30 patients who were treated in the Department of abdominal surgery UMC Ljubljana.
Intra-abdominal pressure was measured with two indirect methods - the proposed transcutaneous method, which involves the use of muscle contraction sensors, and the standard intravesical method of measuring the hydrostatic pressure within the bladder. In each patient, we measured the intravesical pressure eight times, 4 times at rest and 4 times while executing a Valsalva maneouvre. The transcutaneous measurement was conducted continuously for the entire duration of the intravesical measurements.
In the chosen mathematical model, the amplitude of the muscle contraction signal and the thickness of subcutaneous fat are statistically significantly associated with the intravesically measured intra-abdominal pressure (p < 0,0001 and p = 0,0008). The chosen fixed effects explained 41 % of variability in data, while the random effect of patients explains an additional 44 % of variability. Intraabdominal pressure estimates, acquired from this model, are not biased in comparison to actually measured values (bias = -0,0667 mmHg), but they are not in agreement with the standard method (95 % limits of agreement [-14,4 mmHg; 14,3 mmHg]). With a transcutaneously obtained IAP measurement of 21 mmHg or more, the positive predictive value for the presence of intraabdominal
hypertension is 0,86; the negative predictive value of transcutaneously measured values of 20 mmHg or less is 0,62. With a transcutaneously obtained IAP measurement of 21 mmHg or more, the positive predictive value for the presence of intraabdominal hypertension of degree III. or IV. is 0,14; the negative predictive value of measured values of 20 mmHg or less is 0,96.
In the chosen model, the difference between the amplitudes of the muscle contraction signals in two consecutive time periods and the thickness of subcutaneous fat are not statistically significantly associated with the difference in intravesically measured values in those time periods (p = 0,06 and p = 0,65). The chosen fixed effects explained 13 % of variability in data, while the random effect of patients explains an additional 79 % of variability. With a
transcutaneously obtained difference between two IAP measurements of
10 mmHg or more, the positive predictive value for the presence of such a change in IAP is 1; the negative predictive value of measured differences of less than 10 mmHg is 0,88.
The study has shown that the signal amplitude of a muscle contraction sensor is statistically significantly associated with intravesically measured intraabdominal pressure. We have shown that MC sensors can be used to measure intra-abdominal pressure and that activation of the abdominal wall does not prevent the measurements. At this point in development, the agreement between the intravesical and transcutaneous methods is not sufficient for interchangeable clinical use. This lack of agreement is at least partly a consequence of the study design as well as the limitations of the standard intravesical method.
In the first step of testing, we wanted to avoid invasive methods and the inclusion of critically ill patients. In spite of that, we have shown that muscle contraction sensors can be used to measure intra-abdominal pressure. These results are a good grounding for the further development of the sensors and also justify further studies that will allow a better assessment of the accuracy of the sensors.
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