Measurement of gut oxygenation in the neonatal population using near-infrared spectroscopy: a clinical tool?

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive bedside monitor of tissue oxygenation that may be a useful clinical tool in monitoring of gut oxygenation in newborn infants.

To systematically review literature to determine whether NIRS is a reliable tool to monitor gut oxygenation on neonatal units.

PubMed and Embase databases were searched using the terms 'neonate', 'preterm infants', 'NIRS' and 'gut oxygenation' (2001-2018).

Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria (clinical trial, observational studies, neonatal population, articles in English and reviewing regional gut oxygen saturations) and exclusion criteria (not evaluating abdominal NIRS or regional oxygen saturations).

Two authors independently searched PubMed and Embase using the predefined terms, appraised study quality and extracted from 30 studies the study design and outcome data.

Potential for publication bias, majority of studies were prospective cohort studies and small sample sizes.

Thirty studies were reviewed assessing the validity of abdominal NIRS and potential application in neonates. Studies reviewed assessed abdominal NIRS in different settings including normal neonates, bolus and continuous feeding, during feed intolerance, necrotising enterocolitis and transfusion with packed red cells. Several observational studies demonstrated how NIRS could be used in clinical practice.

NIRS may prove to be a useful bedside tool on the neonatal unit, working alongside current clinical tools in the monitoring of newborn infants (preterm and term) and inform clinical management. We recommend further studies including randomised controlled trials looking at specific measurements and cut-offs for abdominal NIRS for use in further clinical practice.