International Journal of Clinical & Medical Images

Human physiology is complex and pathways rarely act in isolation. As such, clinical data is often highly variable in nature, with outcomes dependant on a number of different clinical and patient specific aspects. Studies and trials must therefore be carefully considered to collect meaningful data, and conclusions carefully thought through. This is especially true in extremely premature neonates, where limited blood volume and minimal invasive access to organ systems means that measurements and samples must be carefully considered and may be few and far between. In a recent study of insulin secretion based on plasma C-peptide measurements in this population it was found that while general trends existed confirming expected physiological results, there was high variability within the results. As a result, it was often easier to play dot-to-dot than generate meaningful models of physiology.

Acknowledgements Data in the image was in its raw format collected from by Dr J Alsweiler, Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, Auckland and Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Corresponding author
J.L Dickson, C.A Gunn and J.G Chase
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Canterbury
New Zealand