[Evaluation of early cognitive ability of infants born preterm by near-infrared spectroscopy].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the differences in cerebral oxygenation responses between the infants born preterm and full-term infants and to evaluate the early cognitive ability of infants born preterm.


METHODS
Cerebral oxygenation after light stimulation was detected by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in preterm infants at 3 or 6 months corrected gestational age (GA). The results were compared with those of age-matched infants born at term.


RESULTS
The start and peak response time of cerebral oxygenation occurring after light stimulation in preterm infants at 3 months corrected GA was 17.2 +/- 5.2 and 38.4 +/- 9.6 seconds respectively, which were significantly longer than in age-matched term infants (13.1 +/- 2.7 and 28.9 +/- 5.0 seconds respectively) (P < 0.05). The maximum response value of hemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin and regional oxygen saturation of the preterm infants at 3 months corrected GA was (1.2 +/- 0.5)%, (1.5 +/- 0.6)%, and (1.3 +/- 0.4)% respectively , which were significantly lower than that of the term infants [(2.3 +/- 0.3)%, (2.8 +/- 0.3)% and (2.4 +/- 0.5)% respectively] (P < 0.05). Cerebral oxygenation responses to light stimulation in preterm infants examined at 6 months corrected GA were not significantly different from age-matched term infants.


CONCLUSIONS
Cerebral oxygenation responses to light stimulation in infants born preterm at 3 months corrected GA are not as good as age-matched term infants, but were close to the level of age-matched term infants at 6 months corrected GA. This suggests that the early cognitive ability of preterm infants before 3 months corrected GA might fall behind age-matched term infants.
Hou
Xin-Lin
XL
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. houxinlin66@sohu.com
Zhou
Cong-Le
CL
Huang
Lan
L
Ding
Hai-Shu
HS
Tang
Ze-Zhong
ZZ
Jiang
Yi
Y
D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
D010100:Oxygen