Multimometer - Vital Signs Device for Diagnosis of Pneumonia

Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of child mortality in low-resource countries. Pneumonia alone is directly responsible for the deaths of 900,000 children under-fives in the developing world annually. Early diagnosis and treatment by CHWs (Community Health Workers) in these countries could significantly reduce mortality. In the absence of radiology and blood tests the WHO recommends counting breaths to measure the respiratory rate (RR) as the diagnostic test of choice for pneumonia. While objective measurement of RR may improve diagnosis, the use of RR alone by community health workers (CHWs) in remote settings is sub-optimal and insufficient (Rambaud, Lancet 2015). Measuring additional vital-sign parameters such as heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and temperature will enhance the ability of CHW to timely recognize and appropriately treat severe respiratory diseases. Recent data from our group suggests that adding more parameters to the decision tree can reduce mortality compared to measurement of RR alone. The present project builds on our previous experience with the Respimometer - a thermometer shaped device that measures just RR and temperature - by developing and testing an enhanced version which also measures SpO2 and HR. Using the combination of these 4 parameters in an integrated yet simple-to-use device (the Multimometer) will greatly enhance diagnostic accuracy and clinical decisions as regards treatment with antibiotics and/or oxygen.