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Normal range for blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries of newly born term infants
A C Fenton1, D B Shortland, E Papathoma
1Dept of Child Health, Leicester University School of Medicine, U.K.
Insights
Cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in healthy newborns increases significantly in the first week of life, especially within the first 24 hours. This study establishes normal CBFV ranges for the anterior and middle cerebral arteries in early infancy.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Cerebrovascular dynamics
- Pediatric neurology
Background:
- Establishing normal physiological ranges is crucial for neonatal care.
- Cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) is an important indicator of brain perfusion in infants.
- Limited data exists on normal CBFV in the immediate postnatal period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal range of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in healthy full-term infants during the first week of life.
- To analyze the changes in CBFV in the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) over the first seven days postpartum.
- To assess the relationship between CBFV measurements in the ACA and MCA.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 128 healthy full-term infants.
- Duplex Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure CBFV.
- Recordings were obtained from both the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA).
Main Results:
- A statistically significant increase in CBFV was observed in both the ACA and MCA within the first four days of life.
- This increase was most pronounced during the initial 24 hours postpartum.
- A strong correlation was found between ACA and MCA CBFV measurements, with higher velocities typically noted in the MCA.
Conclusions:
- The study provides normative data for CBFV in healthy neonates during the first week of life.
- CBFV demonstrates dynamic changes in early infancy, highlighting rapid cerebrovascular adaptation.
- These findings can aid in the clinical assessment of neonatal brain perfusion and the detection of abnormalities.
Abstract:
A cross-sectional study of 128 healthy full term infants was made using duplex Doppler ultrasonography in order to establish a normal range for cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in the first week of life. Recordings were made from both the anterior (ACA) and middle cerebral arteries (MCA). There was a statistically significant increase in CBFV in both the ACA and MCA over the first four days of life, which was particularly obvious in the first 24 h. There is a close relationship between measurement of CBFV from the ACA and the MCA, although the velocity tends to be higher in the MCA.