Reference Ranges for Cerebral Oxygenation in Neonates During Immediate Transition After Birth: Differences Between...

Area of Science:

• Neonatal physiology
• Medical instrumentation
• Clinical monitoring

Background:

• Cerebral oxygen saturation (crSO2-ROOT) monitoring is vital during the neonatal transition.
• Existing reference ranges for crSO2-ROOT vary depending on the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device used.
• Standardized reference ranges are needed for accurate clinical interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define reference ranges for cerebral oxygen saturation (crSO2-ROOT) in stable neonates during the immediate transition after birth.
• To compare crSO2-ROOT values obtained with a specific NIRS device against existing ranges from other devices.
• To highlight the importance of device-specific reference ranges in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study involving continuous measurement of crSO2-ROOT in neonates for the first 15 minutes post-birth.
• Calculation of median values and 10th/90th centiles for crSO2-ROOT per minute.
• Comparison of crSO2-ROOT data with published ranges from crSO2-INVOS and cTOI-NIRO devices.

Main Results:

• Data from 122 neonates (14 preterm, 108 term) were analyzed.
• crSO2-ROOT values showed a similar trend to cTOI-NIRO measurements.
• crSO2-INVOS values were initially lower but exceeded crSO2-ROOT values within the first minutes post-birth.

Conclusions:

• The study provides new reference ranges for crSO2-ROOT in stable neonates immediately after birth.
• Significant differences exist between reference ranges generated by various NIRS devices.
• Clinicians must be aware of these device-specific variations for appropriate use of crSO2-ROOT data.