Association of Parental Interactions and Therapies with Cerebral Oxygenation Variability in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective This study evaluated the association of parental interactions and therapies with cerebral oxygenation (rScO₂) and rScO₂ variability in infants using near-infrared spectroscopy.

Study Design Prospective pilot study in clinically stable infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Infants were monitored continuously for 48 hours, and rScO₂ during parental interactions and therapies was compared with periods of no activity. rScO₂ variability was derived using the root mean of successive squared differences of averaged 1-minute rScO₂ values. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was used to compare baseline and activity periods.

Results Data analysis included 23 infants. rScO₂ variability increased during periods of parental interaction (p = 0.04) and during combined parental interaction and therapies (p = 0.04).

Conclusion We observed that routine NICU interventions are associated with increased rScO₂ variability in clinically stable NICU patients. rScO₂ variability may represent a useful biomarker for the early determination of the safety and efficacy of NICU interventions.

Key Points

• Low rScO₂ variability is linked to poor outcomes.

• Parental interactions increase rScO₂ variability.

• rScO₂ variability may be a useful biomarker.

• rScO₂ variability may predict outcomes.

Keywords

near-infrared spectroscopy - cerebral oxygenation - cerebral oxygenation variability - neonatal intensive care unit - parental interaction - neurodevelopment

Authors' Contributions

Presley Volkema was the principal investigator for this study. She put patients on/off NIRS monitors, educated nurses, performed data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. L.L. helped design the study, put patients on/off NIRS monitors, and edited the manuscript. M.S. helped with statistical analysis and manuscript editing. S.Z. helped design the study and edit the manuscript.

Ethical Approval and Patient Consent

This study was approved by the IRB and parental consent was obtained. Parents provided informed consent for their children to participate in the study.

Publication History

Received: 06 June 2024

Accepted: 05 October 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
07 October 2024

Article published online:
29 October 2024

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