The Bambi Belt shows non-inferior heart rate monitoring compared to the adhesive electrodes - this is the main conclusion of the multicenter non-inferiority study published in Pediatric Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal, on September 5, 2023.

This is the third scientific article written about the Bambi Belt. The multicenter paired non-inferiority study was conducted in the Dutch NICUs of the Maxima Medical Centre (MMC) in Veldhoven and the Emma Children’s Hospital of the Amsterdam University Medical Centre (Amsterdam UMC). In this study, 39 infants were included. All the infants were monitored with the Bambi Belt and adhesive electrodes for 24 hours. The vital signs from both the adhesive electrodes and the Bambi Belt were collected and compared.

A secondary objective of the study was to explore the belt's respiratory rate (RR) monitoring performance compared to chest impedance (CI). The Bambi Belt monitors respiration by detecting the muscle activity of the diaphragm, the so-called diaphragmatic EMG. It has been demonstrated that “the Bambi Belt has a moderate ability to monitor the respiratory rate trend compared to ECG/CI with the advantage of providing additional knowledge of the infant’s breathing effort.”

Sidarto Bambang Oetomo, Chief Medical Officer and inventor of the Bambi Belt, is very pleased with the outcome of the study. His response to this scientific publication is: “It is a very important achievement to show that accurate heart rate monitoring is possible using our wireless system. As expected, the respiration rate measured by the Bambi Belt differed from the data of the chest impedance measurement, given the differences of these methods. More importantly, apnea detection by the Bambi Belt was excellent. The latter is the main concern of neonatologists.”

In addition to the conclusion on the two objectives, the authors of the study point out that “using the belt instead of wired adhesive electrodes has the benefits of ease‐of‐use, reducing discomfort to the patient and improved parent−infant interaction.”

The full scientific article can be accessed here.