title: Current research suggests that the future looks brighter for cerebral oxygenation monitoring in preterm infants.
abstract: Brain injuries remain a significant problem for preterm infants, despite extensive physiological monitoring. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit has to date remained limited to research activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review highlights the increasing clinical application of NIRS in delivery suites and neonatal units. Four randomised controlled trials incorporating NIRS monitoring suggest that the future may indeed be brighter for this technology in the care of very preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Wilton, Cork, Ireland; Irish Centre for Fetal and Transitional Neonatal Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kenosi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Naulaers
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dempsey
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: brain injury; cerebral haemodynamics and oxygenation; near infrared spectroscopy; premature infants