Open AccessNeonatal Hemoglobin Levels in Preterm Infants Are Associated with Early Neurological Functioning
Author(s) -
Willemien S Kalteren,
Mirthe J Mebius,
Elise A. Verhagen,
Jozien C. Tanis,
Elisabeth M. W. Kooi,
Arend F. Bos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
neonatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.399
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1661-7819
pISSN - 1661-7800
DOI - 10.1159/000518655
Subject(s) - medicine , gestational age , intraventricular hemorrhage , pediatrics , gestation , anemia , hemoglobin , confounding , birth weight , anesthesia , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Background: Neonatal anemia may compromise oxygen transport to the brain. The effects of anemia and cerebral oxygenation on neurological functioning in the early neonatal period are largely unknown. Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between initial hemoglobin levels (Hb) and early neurological functioning in preterm infants by assessing their general movements (GMs). Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation was conducted. We excluded infants with intraventricular hemorrhage > grade II. On day 8, we assessed infants’ GMs, both generally as normal/abnormal and in detail using the general movement optimality score (GMOS). We measured cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (r c SO 2 ) on day 1 using near-infrared spectroscopy. Results: We included 65 infants (median gestational age 29.9 weeks [IQR 28.2–31.0]; median birth weight 1,180 g [IQR 930–1,400]). Median Hb on day 1 was 10.3 mmol/L (range 4.2–13.7). Lower Hb on day 1 was associated with a higher risk of abnormal GMs (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3–4.1) and poorer GMOSs ( B = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.2–1.7). Hemoglobin strongly correlated with r c SO 2 (rho = 0.62, p < 0.01). Infants with lower r c SO 2 values tended to have a higher risk of abnormal GMs ( p = 0.06). After adjusting for confounders, Hb on day 1 explained 44% of the variance of normal/abnormal GMs and r c SO 2 explained 17%. Regarding the explained variance of the GMOS, this was 25% and 16%, respectively. Conclusions: In preterm infants, low Hb on day 1 is associated with impaired neurological functioning on day 8, which is partly explained by low cerebral oxygenation.