Cerebral oxygenation is associated with neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm children at age 2 to 3 years.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (r(c)SO2) and fractional tissue oxygen extraction (FTOE), using near-infrared spectroscopy, are associated with neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants.

Methods: We measured rc SO2 on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 15 after birth in 83 preterm infants (<32wks gestational age), and calculated FTOE=(SpO2 -r(c)SO2)/SpO2. Cognitive, motor, neurological, and behavioural outcomes were determined at 2 to 3 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III), an age-specific neurological examination, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine whether r(c)SO2 and FTOE contributed to outcome.

Results: We followed up 67 infants. The lower quartile (P(25-50)) and highest quartile (P(75-100)) of r(c)SO2 on day 1 were associated with poorer cognitive outcome (p=0.044 and p=0.008 respectively). A lower area under the curve (AUC; over 15d) of r(c)SO2 was associated with poorer cognitive outcome (p=0.014). The lower quartile (P(25-50)) AUC of r(c)SO2 was associated with poorer fine motor outcome (p=0.004). The amount of time r(c)SO2 <50% on day 1 was negatively associated with gross motor outcome (p=0.002). The highest quartile of FTOE on day 1 was associated with poorer total motor outcome (p=0.041).

Conclusions: Cerebral oxygen saturation during the first 2 weeks after birth is associated with neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants at 2 to 3 years. High and low r(c)SO2 on day 1 were associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcome.