Clinical use of new-generation pulse oximeters in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Continuous monitoring by pulse oximetry is a common practice for preterm and critically ill newborns. A new generation of motion-tolerant pulse oximeters have been designed for improved clinical performance with a substantial reduction in alarm frequency. However, little is known about the differences among these new-generation pulse oximeters in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).