Masimo Gains on Positive PVI & SpHb Study Data - Analyst Blog

Masimo Corporation MASI recently presented results from four new clinical studies evaluating its non-invasive patient monitoring technologies. The clinical data was presented at the European Society of Anaesthesiology's ESA Euroanaesthesia 2014 Congress which took place in Stockholm, Sweden.

Shares of MASI climbed 1.8% in the subsequent trading sessions to close at $24.39 yesterday.

PVI Studies

A study was conducted at University Hospital Linköping, in Linköping, Sweden, to evaluate whether fluid volume optimization using MASI's Pleth Variability Index PVI would lead to similar fluid management and patient risk compared to Stroke Volume Optimization using Esophageal Doppler ED – an established method to optimize preload during abdominal surgeries.

MASI's PVI is a non-invasive parameter which helps clinicians to continuously assess the fluid status of abdominal surgical patients in order to optimize fluid administration.

The study demonstrated that there was no difference between the two methods with regard to colloid administration, fluid volume given during surgery or lactate levels at the end of surgery. Thus, the study concluded that fluid optimization during PVI guided open abdominal surgery resulted in equal amounts of fluid administered compared to guidance using the ED technique.

The second study was carried out at CHU Brugmann (Brugmann University Hospital) in Bruxelles, Belgium. The study compared conventional pulse pressure variation (PPV) induced by mechanical ventilation with non-invasive PVI to determine intraoperative fluid management in patients undergoing elective abdominal (laparoscopic) surgeries. Researchers concluded that the type of monitoring does not significantly influence the volume of fluid administered in the intra-operative period.

SpHb Studies

In a study conducted at Città di Roma Hospital in Rome, researchers compared MASI's non-invasive Total Hemoglobin (SpHb) with values from an invasive central laboratory device in laboring mothers. The objective was to assess whether SpHb could identify changes in hemoglobin to facilitate an earlier detection of postpartum hemorrhage. Results from the study demonstrated that SpHb was able to detect changes in hemoglobin concentration during and after delivery and therefore may provide a means for the early detection of bleeding and postpartum hemorrhage.

MASI's SpHb is a non-invasive measurement parameter that allows clinicians to continuously monitor hemoglobin and support various clinical applications like blood transfusion management, bleeding detection and spot-checks assessment.

Another study was executed at the Tokyo Dental College Ichikawa General Hospital in Chiba-ken, Japan, to evaluate the accuracy of SpHb during prolonged oral surgery. Values from the non-invasive SpHb were compared with laboratory CO-Oximetry measurements of total hemoglobin (tHb). Results from the study confirmed that the accuracy of SpHb monitoring during prolonged surgery was clinically acceptable.

Zacks Rank

MASI currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other well-performing stocks in the medical instruments industry are Alphatec Holdings, Inc. ATEC, RTI Surgical Inc. RTIX and Luminex Corp. LMNX. All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).