Cerebral Oxygenation, Extraction, and Autoregulation in Very Preterm Infants Who Develop Peri-Intraventricular Hemorrhage

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-determined patterns of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2), cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE), and autoregulatory ability can identify neonates at risk for developing peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH). This case-control study is a subanalysis of 30 neonates who developed PIVH >12 hours after admission as part of a lager prospective observational cohort study comprising 650 preterm neonates born at ≤32 weeks' gestational age. PIVH was diagnosed by cranial ultrasound, performed at least once daily. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), NIRS-determined rScO2, cFTOE, and MABP-rScO2 correlation were monitored from birth to 72 hours of age. Infants with PIVH received more inotropic drugs before being diagnosed with PIVH. Significantly more infants with severe PIVH needed treatment for patent ductus arteriosus. The MABP-rScO2 correlation was >0.5 significantly more often before mild/moderate PIVH and after severe PIVH compared with controls. rScO2 was higher and cFTOE lower in infants before severe PIVH. NIRS-monitored rScO2 and cFTOE suggest cerebral hyperperfusion in infants with severe PIVH. Moreover, MABP-rScO2 correlation indicates more blood pressure-passive brain perfusion in infants with PIVH. Continuous assessment of patterns of cerebral oxygenation and arterial blood pressure may identify those preterm infants at risk for severe PIVH and prompt consideration of preventive measures.