title: Brain haemodynamic effects of nasal continuous airway pressure in preterm infants of less than 30 weeks' gestation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the hypothesis that increasing levels of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) may decrease cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral oxygenation in infants with gestational age (GA) less than 30 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied a cohort of preterm infants treated with NCPAP using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The pressure limit of NCPAP was set at 2, 4, 6 and again 2 cm H(2)O for 30 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes of pressure levels were not followed by significant changes of oxygenated haemoglobin (O(2)Hb), deoxygenated haemoglobin (HHb), cerebral intravascular oxygenation (HbD), oxidized-reduced cytochrome aa3 (CtOx), tissue oxygenation index (TOI), tissue haemoglobin index (THI) and cerebral blood volume (DeltaCBV).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NCPAP at 2-6 cm H(2)O pressure levels did not affect cerebral oxygenation and CBV. These findings are reassuring and confirm the safety of NCPAP in preterm infants with GA less than 30 weeks.
authors: Section of Neonatology, Department of Surgical and Medical Critical Care, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Viale Morgagni 85, 50134 Florence, Italy. cdani@unifi.it
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Dani
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Bertini
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Cecchi
authors: Iuri
authors: I
authors: Corsini
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Pratesi
authors: Firmino F
authors: FF
authors: Rubaltelli
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins