Splanchnic-cerebral oxygenation ratio (SCOR) values in healthy term infants as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)

Abstract

The splanchnic-cerebral oxygenation ratio (SCOR) is a measurement comparing regional tissue oxygen saturation of splanchnic organs and brain tissue. SCOR has been previously proposed as a marker of clinical conditions associated with gut ischemia. Our goal was to determine SCOR values in healthy neonates in their first and second days of life. Prospective observational study measuring SCOR in term neonates in the nursery using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Forty-five subjects with a mean gestational age of 39.4 ± 1.3 weeks were included. Mean SCOR on the first day was 0.90 ± 0.16 and 0.97 ± 0.16 on the second day, p = 0.02 (n = 45). No correlation was found between SCOR and gestational age; however, we did find a positive correlation between hour of life and SCOR values (r = 0.28, r(2) = 0.08, p < 0.01, two tails); SCOR appears to stabilize by 36 h. Our findings demonstrate SCOR values in healthy neonates consistent with those previously theorized and help to validate it as a diagnostic measure. In addition, we have demonstrated that SCOR values may normally be lower in infants during their first days of life, and this information may be helpful to clinicians using NIRS as a diagnostic tool.