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Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Microcirculatory changes in term newborns with suspected infection: an observational prospective study
Irene Alba-Alejandre1, Stephan Hiedl, Orsolya Genzel-Boroviczény
1Division of Neonatology Perinatal Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, 80337 Munich, Germany.
International Journal of Pediatrics
|February 1, 2013
Summary
Orthogonal Polarized Spectral (OPS) imaging reveals impaired microcirculatory flow in newborns with early-onset infection. This finding highlights early detection of circulatory changes in neonates, even with mild infections.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Microcirculation Research
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Adult sepsis studies show microcirculatory disturbances using Orthogonal Polarized Spectral (OPS) imaging.
- Early-onset infection in newborns can impact systemic circulation.
- Non-invasive assessment of neonatal microcirculation is crucial for timely diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate microcirculatory alterations in term newborns with suspected early-onset infection using OPS imaging.
- To compare microcirculatory flow patterns between infected and non-infected neonates.
- To determine the feasibility of using OPS imaging for neonatal microcirculation assessment.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study involving 47 term newborns over the first three days of life.
- OPS imaging of the ear conch and upper arm vascular beds.
- Semiquantitative, blinded analysis of OPS sequences to classify vessel flow (continuous vs. non-continuous).
Main Results:
- A significantly lower proportion of vessels exhibited continuous flow in infected infants (69%) compared to controls (90%) (P = 0.0003).
- Microcirculatory impairment was observed even in neonates without shock or severe sepsis.
- The external ear proved to be an optimal site for these measurements.
Conclusions:
- Term neonates with mild to moderate infections demonstrate impaired microcirculatory flow.
- OPS imaging can detect these microcirculatory changes early in the disease course in neonates.
- The external ear is a suitable location for non-invasive microcirculatory assessment in neonates.
