Regional oxygenation, perfusion and body and/or head position: Are preterm infants adversely impacted? A systematic review

Paediatr Respir Rev. 2021 Sep 23:S1526-0542(21)00092-0. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2021.09.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThis review addresses regional oxygenation and perfusion changes for preterm infants and changes with body position, with or without head rotation. Future directions for improving neurodevelopmental and clinical outcomes are suggested. The MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus databases were searched up to July 2021. Fifteen out of 470 studies met the inclusion criteria. All were prospective, observational studies with a moderate risk of bias. Significant variation was found for the baseline characteristics of the cohort, postnatal ages, and respiratory support status at the time of monitoring. When placed in a non-supine position, preterm infants showed a transient reduction in cardiac output and stroke volume without changes to heart rate or blood pressure. No studies reported on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Overall, side lying or prone position does not appear to adversely affect regional, and specifically cerebral, oxygenation or cerebral perfusion. The effect of head rotation on regional oxygenation and perfusion remains unclear.PMID:34654646 | DOI:10.1016/j.prrv.2021.09.004
Source: Respiratory Care - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Source Type: research