Home use of a compact, 12‑lead ECG recording system for newborns

Abstract

Background: An easy-to-operate ECG recorder should be useful for newborn screening for heart conditions, by health care workers – or parents. We developed a one-piece electrode strip and a compact, 12‑lead ECG recorder for newborns. Method: We enrolled 2582 newborns in a trial to assess abilities of parents to record a 12‑lead ECG on their infants (2–4 weeks-old). Newborns were randomized to recordings by parents (1290) or our staff (1292 controls). Educational backgrounds of parents varied, including 64% with no more than a high school diploma. Results: For newborns randomized to parent recorded ECGs, 94% of parents completed a 10-minute recording. However, 42.6% asked for verbal help, and 12.7% needed physical help. ECG quality was the same for recordings by parents versus staff. Conclusions: By use of a one-piece electrode strip and a compact recorder, 87% of parents recorded diagnostic quality ECGs on their newborn infants, with minimal assistance.