Cerebral Monitoring Using Pulsatile Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Neonates (pNIRS)

June 29, 2023 updated by: Medical University of Graz

Assessment of Cerebral Monitoring Using the Pulsatile Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Neonates Immediately After Birth - a Prospective Observational Pilot Study

The transition from fetus to newborn is a complex physiological process. Monitoring this process to detect potential disruptions is critical but remains a challenge. Initial evaluation of neonates is usually based on visual inspection, palpation and/or auscultation, and response to stimuli. To objectify the condition of the newborn during this vulnerable transitional period, Virginia Apgar developed a clinical assessment-based scoring system called the Apgar Score, which is widely used around the world. However, there is significant inter-observer and intra-observer variability in clinical assessments using the Apgar score. To objectively assess the condition of the newborn, the latest guidelines for postnatal adaptation and resuscitation recommend the use of electrocardiography (ECG) and pulse oximetry in the delivery room in addition to clinical evaluation. These monitoring methods allow non-invasive continuous monitoring of SpO2 (Oxygen saturation) as well as heart rate (HR), but do not provide information about potentially compromised cardiovascular status, resulting in severely restricted oxygen transport to tissues.

Cerebral Oxygenation:

The brain is one of the most vulnerable organs to hypoxia during the postnatal adaptation period. The recommended routine monitoring during the neonatal transition is SpO2 and heart rate. Unfortunately, these parameters do not provide any information about cerebral blood flow or oxygen supply or brain activity. About 30% of premature babies develop cerebral hemorrhage in the first 3 days after birth. This can lead to the development of hydrocephalus, poor neurological outcome and even death. For the above reasons, there is increasing interest in additional brain monitoring. Our research group has already shown in various studies that additional cerebral monitoring using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is possible in newborns immediately after birth and may be beneficial during this vulnerable phase of life. Furthermore, this add-on monitoring could inform interventions to optimize brain oxygenation, potentially affecting survival with improved short- and long-term neurological outcomes.

Background:

The transition from fetus to newborn is a complex physiological process. Monitoring this process to detect potential disruptions is critical but remains a challenge. Initial evaluation of neonates is usually based on visual inspection, palpation and/or auscultation, and response to stimuli. To objectify the condition of the newborn during this vulnerable transitional period, Virginia Apgar developed a clinical assessment-based scoring system called the Apgar Score, which is widely used around the world. However, there is significant inter-observer and intra-observer variability in clinical assessments using the Apgar score. To objectively assess the condition of the newborn, the latest guidelines for postnatal adaptation and resuscitation recommend the use of electrocardiography (ECG) and pulse oximetry in the delivery room in addition to clinical evaluation. These monitoring methods allow non-invasive continuous monitoring of SpO2 as well as HR, but do not provide information about potentially compromised cardiovascular status, resulting in severely restricted oxygen transport to tissues.

Pulsatile mode of NIRS Recently, Hamamatsu developed new software and implemented it as a pulsatile mode in one of their near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) instruments, the NIRO 200 NX. In contrast to the conventional NIRS technique, which measures tissue saturation closer to venous oxygen saturation than arterial oxygen saturation, the pulsatile NIRS technique uses a higher measurement rate of 20 Hertz and can therefore measure cerebral pulse rate (cPR) and cerebral arterial oxygen saturation (SnO2) in small vessels.

Using the non-invasive pulsatile NIRS technique could be a viable new method to continuously monitor blood flow to the brain during resuscitation. This can be particularly beneficial for critically ill newborns and premature babies.

To date, no data have been published in neonates using the pulsatile NIRS technique.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

40

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

    • Styria
      • Graz, Styria, Austria, 8036
        • Recruiting
        • Division Neonatology, Dep. Pediatrics
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Term and preterm neonates after birth.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Term and preterm neonates observed routinely at the resuscitation desk
  • Decision to conduct full life support
  • Written parental informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No decision to conduct full life support
  • No written parental informed consent
  • Congenital malformation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Term neonates
No intervention
Preterm neonates
No intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of cerebral oxygenation in cerebral pusatile vessels
Time Frame: 15 minutes
cerebral oxygenation in pusatile vessels (SnO2)
15 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 30, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 31, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 31, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

June 9, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 3, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 29, 2023

Last Verified

June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 35-281 ex 22/23

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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