Skin surface carbon dioxide tension in sick infants.

Skin surface PCO2 (PSCO2) was measured at 44 C in 17 sick infants using a Radiometer surface PCO2 electrode. Values obtained for PSCO2 were compared with simultaneous values for arterial PCO2 (PaCO2). PSCO2 was found to be linerarly related to PaCO2 by a regression line with a slope 1.37. PaCO2 could be predicted from PSCO2 to within 6 torr in all instances. The relationship was not affected by the patient's gestational age, postnatal age, weight, or blood pressure. This electrode is a valuable clinical tool in the management of sick infants.