Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between cerebral saturation (crSO(2)) using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and brain injury in extremely preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study includes 62 infants (<28 weeks gestation) who underwent continuous NIRS monitoring in the first 5 days after birth. Median crSO(2) were compared in 12 h increments between infants with and without germinal matrix/intraventricular hemorrhage (GM/IVH). crSO(2) was also compared by IVH severity, onset, and by grade of injury on term equivalent MRI. RESULTS: After 48 h of life (HOL), infants with GM/IVH had significantly lower crSO(2) than those without GM/IVH in analysis adjusted for potential confounding e.g., at 49-60 HOL (69.5 (66.2, 72.8) vs. 74.7 (71.8, 77.6), p = 0.023). There were no significant differences in crSO(2) by IVH subcategory or injury severity on MRI. CONCLUSION: Clinical use of NIRS has the potential to identify crSO(2) patterns associated with development of GM/IVH.