RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Stability and agreement of micro-transducer esophageal catheter and air-filled balloon esophageal catheter: in vitro and in vivo study JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P2136 VO 44 IS Suppl 58 A1 Maloni, Renan A1 Albuqueruue, Andre A1 Carvalho, Carlos A1 Salge, Joao A1 Cardenas, Letícia A1 Ferreira, Jeferson A1 Iamonti, Vinicius A1 Orlandin, Luiz A1 Caruso, Pedro YR 2014 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P2136.abstract AB Background: the measurement of esophageal pressure (Pes) is applied in physiopathologic studies and clinical practice. Esophageal catheters with micro-transducers (MTC) promise to facilitate the insertion and use of esophageal catheters. Unfortunately the MCT were scarcely tested and validated. Aim: to evaluate, in vitro and in vivo, the stability and agreement of esophageal catheters with air-filled balloon (BC) and MTC. Methods: in vitro: catheters had their frequency response and stability evaluated over 6h. In vivo: 9 volunteers had a BC and MTC simultaneously inserted and located at the same esophageal level. The stability of the baseline Pes, ΔPes and Pes during sniff were evaluated over 3h. Results: in vitro: the MTC frequency response was higher than BC (261±26 vs 114±33 Hz, p<0.01). The MTC mean baseline drift was -0.6±1.7 cmH2O (range 5.6). In vivo: the mean drift of the baseline Pes of the BC was higher than the MTC (1.8±4.9 vs-3.1±6.1 cmH2O, p<0.01). The BC coefficient of variation was higher than the MCT (28.9% vs 9.9%). The agreements between both catheters at baseline Pes, ΔPes and esophageal pressure during sniff were poor. Conclusions: MTC have a higher frequency response associated to a lower pressure drift and coefficient of variation than BC. However, due to the low agreement, MTC shall not be consider as surrogates of BC.