A new cluster randomized crossover trial study published on JAMA Open by Wake Forest University researchers examines whether continuous (rather than intermittent) vital sign monitoring reduces abnormalities in blood pressure, oxygenation, and heart rate during the initial 48 hours after noncardiac surgery.
Using four-week ward clusters among 798 postoperative patients, “the duration of oxygen saturation less than 90% was reduced by approximately 30 minutes in continuously monitored patients, whereas hypotension and tachycardia durations did not decrease significantly,” they write. “The findings of this study suggest that continuous postoperative ward monitoring reduces hypoxemia and warrants robust patient-centric outcomes trials.”
“Continuous postoperative monitoring on general nursing units detects vital sign abnormalities that are missed with conventional intermittent monitoring. Early recognition may prompt interventions to limit potentially harmful blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation perturbations … Continuous monitoring reduced the duration of desaturation in patients recovering from noncardiac surgery on general hospital wards. Reducing the duration of vital sign abnormalities may decrease the risk of more serious complications.”
Read the full study here.
