The accuracy of a near-infrared spectroscopy cerebral oximetry device and its potential value for estimating jugular venous oxygen saturation

Association between muscular tissue desaturation and acute kidney injury in patients after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection: a single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

A significant association between muscular tissue oxygen saturation (SmtO2), measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and postoperative complications has been observed in patients undergoing major surgery. However, the association between muscular tissue desaturation and acute kidney injury (AKI) has not yet been reported in patients following surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

METHOD

One hundred seventy-four adult patients who underwent total aortic arch replacement (TAAR) under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) for acute type A aortic dissection were retrospectively analyzed. Muscular tissue oxygen saturation (SmtO2) in the gastrocnemius muscle region and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) on the bilateral forehead were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).The thresholds defining muscular tissue desaturation were SmtO2 < 80%, < 85%, and < 90% of baseline (relative changes compared to the baseline) and < 55% and < 50% (absolute values). Cerebral desaturation was defined as rScO2 < 55%, < 50%, and < 80% baseline, on either the left or right side. The baseline, minimum, and mean values of SmtO2 and rScO2 were also extracted for analysis. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the association between muscular tissue desaturation and AKI.

RESULT

AKI occurred in 71 (40.80%) of the 174 patients underwent TAAR under CPB and DHCA. SmtO2 < 80% of baseline was associated with an increased risk of AKI (odds ratio [OR], 1.021; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001-1.041; P = 0.034). A receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the optimal cutoff for SmtO2 < 80% baseline duration was 33.5 min in predicting AKI (sensitivity, 70.00%; specificity, 77.80%). The durations of SmtO2 < 85% baseline (OR, 1.009; 95% CI, 0.996-1.021; P = 0.195) and < 90% baseline (OR,1.007; 95% CI, 0.996-1.018; P = 0.208) were not significantly associated with AKI. There were no significant differences in the durations of absolute SmtO2 values < 55% and < 50% or in the minimum SmtO2 between the two cohorts. Durations of left and right rScO2 < 55%, < 50%, and < 80% baseline were not associated with AKI. Patients with AKI experienced significantly higher in-hospital mortality and more postoperative complications compared with non-AKI patients.

CONCLUSION

Muscular tissue desaturation, defined as SmtO2 < 80% of baseline monitored on the lower leg, was significantly associated with an increased risk of AKI in patients who underwent TAAR under CPB and DHCA. Cerebral desaturation, defined as absolute rScO2 < 55% or < 50%, or < 80% baseline was not associated with AKI.

Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation and Estimated Oxygen Extraction Ratio as Predictive Markers of Major Adverse Events in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease

Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (ScO2) determined by near-infrared spectroscopy, monitoring both arterial and venous blood oxygenation of the brain, could reflect the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption. The aim of this study was to determine the predictabilities of ScO2 and estimated oxygen extraction ratio (eO2ER) with outcomes in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study was a two-center, retrospective study of patients at 12 months of age or younger with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was a composite of one or more major adverse events (MAEs) after surgery: death from any cause, circulatory collapse that needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Based on the assumptions of arterial to venous blood ratio, eO2ER was calculated. A total of 647 cases were included in this study. MAEs occurred in 16 patients (2.5%). There were significant differences in post-bypass ScO2 [46.61 (40.90, 52.05) vs. 58.52 (51.52, 66.08), p < 0.001] and post-bypass eO2ER [0.66 (0.60, 0.78) vs. 0.52 (0.43, 0.61), p < 0.001] between patients with MAEs and patients without MAEs. Area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of post-bypass ScO2 was 0.818 (95% confidence interval: 0.747-0.889), AUROC of post-bypass eO2ER was 0.783 (0.697-0.870) and AUROC of post-bypass maximum serum lactate level was 0.635 (0.525-0.746). Both ScO2 and eO2ER, especially after weaning off bypass, are acceptable predictive markers for predicting MAEs after cardiac surgery in infants.(227 words).

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy based blood pressure variations and hemodynamic activity of brain monitoring following postural changes: A systematic review

Postural change from supine or sitting to standing up leads to displacement of 300 to 1000 mL of blood from the central parts of the body to the lower limb, which causes a decrease in venous return to the heart, hence decrease in cardiac output, causing a drop in blood pressure. This may lead to falling down, syncope, and in general reducing the quality of daily activities, especially in the elderly and anyone suffering from nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's or orthostatic hypotension (OH). Among different modalities to study brain function, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging method that optically measures the hemodynamic response in brain tissue. Concentration changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb) are associated with brain neural activity. fNIRS is significantly more tolerant to motion artifacts compared to fMRI, PET, and EEG. At the same time, it is portable, has a simple structure and usage, is safer, and much more economical. In this article, we systematically reviewed the literature to examine the history of using fNIRS in monitoring brain oxygenation changes caused by sudden changes in body position and its relationship with the blood pressure changes. First, the theory behind brain hemodynamics monitoring using fNIRS and its advantages and disadvantages are presented. Then, a study of blood pressure variations as a result of postural changes using fNIRS is described. It is observed that only 58 % of the references concluded a positive correlation between brain oxygenation changes and blood pressure changes. At the same time, 3 % showed a negative correlation, and 39 % did not show any correlation between them.

Differential responses of cerebral and renal oxygenation to altered perfusion conditions during experimental cardiopulmonary bypass in sheep

We tested whether the brain and kidney respond differently to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and to changes in perfusion conditions during CPB. Therefore, in ovine CPB, we assessed regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2 ) by near-infrared spectroscopy and renal cortical and medullary tissue oxygen tension (PO2 ), and, in some protocols, brain tissue PO2 , by phosphorescence lifetime oximetry. During CPB, rSO2 correlated with mixed venous SO2 (r = 0.78) and brain tissue PO2 (r = 0.49) when arterial PO2 was varied. During the first 30 min of CPB, brain tissue PO2 , rSO2 and renal cortical tissue PO2 did not fall, but renal medullary tissue PO2 did. Nevertheless, compared with stable anaesthesia, during stable CPB, rSO2 (66.8 decreasing to 61.3%) and both renal cortical (90.8 decreasing to 43.5 mm Hg) and medullary (44.3 decreasing to 19.2 mm Hg) tissue PO2 were lower. Both rSO2 and renal PO2 increased when pump flow was increased from 60 to 100 mL kg-1  min-1 at a target arterial pressure of 70 mm Hg. They also both increased when pump flow and arterial pressure were increased simultaneously. Neither was significantly altered by partially pulsatile flow. The vasopressor, metaraminol, dose-dependently decreased rSO2 , but increased renal cortical and medullary PO2 . Increasing blood haemoglobin concentration increased rSO2 , but not renal PO2 . We conclude that both the brain and kidney are susceptible to hypoxia during CPB, which can be alleviated by increasing pump flow, even without increasing arterial pressure. However, increasing blood haemoglobin concentration increases brain, but not kidney oxygenation, whereas vasopressor support with metaraminol increases kidney, but not brain oxygenation.

Effect of Extracerebral Contamination on Near-infrared Spectroscopy as Revealed during Organ Donation: A Prospective Observational Study in Brain-dead Organ Donors

BACKGROUND

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been utilized widely in anesthesia and intensive care to monitor regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2). A normal oxygenation of extracerebral tissues may overlay and thereby mask cerebral desaturations, a phenomenon known as extracerebral contamination. The authors investigated the effect of a cessation of extracerebral tissue perfusion on rScO2 in patients with anoxic brains.

METHODS

In a single-center, prospective, observational study, brain-dead adults undergoing organ donation were investigated. rScO2 was measured bifrontally using the INVOS 5100C/7100 as well as the ForeSight Elite system. To achieve an efficient conservation of organs and to prevent a redistribution of the perfusion fluid to other tissues, the aorta was clamped before organ perfusion. rScO2 was monitored until at least 40 min after aortic clamping. The primary outcome was the amount of extracerebral contamination as quantified by the absolute decrease in rScO2 after aortic clamping. Secondary outcomes were the absolute rScO2 values obtained before and after clamping.

RESULTS

Twelve organ donors were included. Aortic clamping resulted in a significantly (P < 0.001) greater absolute decrease in rScO2 when comparing the INVOS (43.0 ± 9.5%) to the ForeSight (27.8 ± 7.1%) monitor. Before aortic clamping, near-normal rScO2 values were obtained by the INVOS (63.8 ± 6.2%) and the ForeSight monitor (67.7 ± 6.5%). The rScO2 significantly (P < 0.001) dropped to 20.8 ± 7.8% (INVOS) and 39.9 ± 8.1% (ForeSight) 30 min after clamping, i.e., a condition of a desaturation of both extracerebral and cerebral tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

The abrupt end of extracerebral contamination, caused by aortic clamping, affected both NIRS monitors to a considerable extent. Both the INVOS and the ForeSight monitor were unable to detect severe cerebral hypoxia or anoxia under conditions of normal extracerebral oxygenation. While both NIRS monitors may guide measures to optimize arterial oxygen supply to the head, they should not be used with the intention to detect isolated cerebral desaturations.

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Noninvasive tracking of mixed venous oxygen saturation via near-infrared spectroscopy cerebral oximetry: a retrospective observational study

Although previous studies have shown correlation between regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), there is a lack of pragmatic information on the clinical applicability of these findings, such as tracking ability. We retrospectively analyzed continuous intraoperative recordings of rScO2 and SvO2 obtained from a pulmonary artery catheter and either of two near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices (INVOS 5100C, Medtronic; O3, Masimo) during off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass (OPCAB) surgery in adult patients. The ability of rScO2 to track SvO2 was quantitatively evaluated with 5 min interval changes transformed into relative values. The analysis included 176 h of data acquired from 48 subjects (26 and 22 subjects for INVOS and O3 dataset, respectively). The area under ROC of the left-rScO2 for detecting change of SvO2 ≥ 10% in INVOS and O3 datasets were 0.919 (95% CI 0.903-0.936) and 0.852 (95% CI 0.818-0.885). The concordance rates between the interval changes of left-rScO2 and SvO2 in INVOS and O3 datasets were 90.6% and 91.9% with 10% exclusion zone. rScO2 can serve as a noninvasive tool for detecting changes in SvO2 levels, a critical hemodynamic measurement.

Effects of Different Hemoglobin Levels on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy-Derived Cerebral Oxygen Saturation in Elderly Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery

Background

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a commonly used technique to evaluate tissue oxygenation and prevent harmful cerebral desaturation in the perioperative setting. The aims of the present study were to assess whether surgery-related anemia can be detected via NIRS of cerebral oxygen saturation and to investigate the effects of different perioperative transfusion strategies on cerebral oxygenation, potentially affecting transfusion decision-making.

Study Design and Methods

Data from the ongoing multicenter LIBERAL-Trial (liberal transfusion strategy to prevent mortality and anemia-associated ischemic events in elderly noncardiac surgical patients, LIBERAL) were used. In this single-center sub-study, regional cerebral oxygenation saturation (rSO2) was evaluated by NIRS at baseline, pre-, and post-RBC transfusion. The obtained values were correlated with blood gas analysis-measured Hb concentrations.

Results

rSO2 correlated with Hb decline during surgery (r = 0.35, p < 0.0001). Different RBC transfusion strategies impacted rSO2 such that higher Hb values resulted in higher rSO2. Cerebral desaturation occurred at lower Hb values more often.

Discussion

Cerebral oxygenation monitoring using NIRS provides noninvasive rapid and continuous information regarding perioperative alterations in Hb concentration without the utilization of patients' blood for blood sampling. Further investigations are required to demonstrate if cerebral rSO2 may be included in future individualized transfusion decision strategies.

Effect of one-lung ventilation on the correlation between left and right cerebral saturation

BACKGROUND

To investigate if the correlation between left and right cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO₂) was affected by one-lung ventilation (OLV) in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery.

METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer were enrolled. Left and right SctO₂ were collected during anesthesia. The primary outcome was the correlation between left and right SctO₂ at 30 min after OLV which was analysed by Pearson correlation and linear regression model. Secondary outcomes included the trend of left-right SctO₂ change over the first 30 min after OLV, correlation of left-right SctO₂ during OLV for each patient; maximal difference between left-right SctO₂ and its relationship with postoperative delirium.

RESULTS

Left-right SctO₂ was moderately correlated at baseline (r = 0.690, P < 0.001) and poorly correlated at 30 min after OLV (r = 0.383, P < 0.001) in the Pearson correlation analysis. Linear regression analysis showed a poor correlation between left and right SctO₂ at 30 min after OLV (r = 0.323, P < 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. The linear mixed model showed a change in left-right SctO₂ over the first 30 min after OLV that was statistically significant (coefficient, -0.042; 95% CI, -0.070--0.014; P = 0.004). For the left-right SctO₂ correlation during OLV in each patient, 62.9% (78/124) patients showed a strong correlation, 19.4% (24/124) a medium correlation, and the rest a poor correlation. The maximal difference between the left and right SctO₂ was 13.5 (9.0, 20.0). Multivariate analysis showed that it was not associated with delirium (odds ratio [OR], 1.023; 95% CI, 0.963-1.087; P = 0.463).

CONCLUSIONS

The correlation between left and right SctO₂ was affected by one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery. This result indicates the requirement of bilateral SctO₂ monitoring to reflect brain oxygenation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was a secondary analysis of a cohort study approved by the Clinical Research Review Board of Peking University First Hospital (#2017-1378) and was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 10/09/2017 ( http://www.chictr.org.cn , ChiCTR-ROC-17012627).

Validation of the Masimo O3™ regional oximetry device in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery

We assessed the accuracy of Masimo O3™ regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂) readings by comparing them with reference values and evaluated the relationship between rSO₂ and somatic tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) in children undergoing cardiac surgery. After anesthesia induction, pediatric sensors were applied to the forehead and foot sole, and rSO₂ and StO₂ values were monitored continuously. Before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), F_IO₂ was set to 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 serially every 15 min. After CPB, F_IO₂ was reversed. The reference values (SavO₂) were calculated by combining arterial (SaO₂) and central venous oxygen saturation (SvO₂) readings from the arterial and central lines, respectively (0.7 [Formula: see text] SvO₂ + 0.3 [Formula: see text] SaO₂). In total, 265 pairs of rSO₂/StO₂ and SavO₂ from 49 patients were analyzed. The bias, standard deviation (SD), standard error (SE), and root mean squared error (RMSE) of rSO₂ were 2.6%, 4.5%, 0.3%, and 4.3%, respectively. The limits of agreement ranged from -6.3% to 11.6%. Trend accuracy analysis yielded a relative mean error of -1.4%, with an SD of 4.3%, SE of 0.2%, and RMSE of 3.9%. According to multiple linear regression analysis, the application of CPB, F_IO₂, Hb level, and tip location of the central venous catheter influenced the bias (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, the correlation between rSO₂ and StO₂ was weak (r = 0.254). rSO₂ readings by the Masimo O3™ device and pediatric sensor had good absolute and trending accuracies with respect to the calculated reference values in children undergoing cardiac surgery. rSO₂ and StO₂ cannot be used interchangeably.Clinical trial registration http://clinicaltrials.gov (number: NCT04208906).

Which Predictor, SctO2 or SstO2, Is more Sensitive for Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Spine Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study?

OBJECTIVE

Patients undergoing spinal surgery in the prone position may experience venous stasis, often resulting in edema in dependent areas of the body, including the head, and increased postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Not only does POCD present challenges for post-operative care and recovery, it can also cause permanent damage to the patient's brain and increase mortality and social costs. We aimed to clarify the incidence of POCD in patients with hypertension after prone spine surgery and to further determine the association between intraoperative somatic tissue oxygen saturation (SstO2)/cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO2) and POCD.

METHODS

Patients with hypertension scheduled for open prone spine surgery from January 2020 to April 2021 were included in this single-center, prospective, observational study. SctO2 and SstO2 were monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy continuously throughout the surgery. The primary outcome was POCD assessed using the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). The association of SstO2 and SctO2 with POCD was evaluated with unadjusted analyses and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

One hundred and one of 112 identified patients were included, 28 (27.8%) of whom developed POCD. None of the investigated SctO2 indices were predictive of POCD. However, the patients with POCD had greater decreases in intraoperative absolute SstO2 and relative SstO2 than the patients without POCD (P = 0.037, P = 0.036). Moreover, three SstO2 indices were associated with POCD, including a greater absolute SstO2 decrease (P = 0.021), a greater relative SstO2 decrease (P = 0.032), and a drop below 90% of the baseline SstO2 (P = 0.002), independent of ASA III status, preoperative platelets and postoperative sepsis. In addition, there was no correlation between intraoperative SctO2 and intraoperative SstO2 or between their respective absolute declines.

CONCLUSION

Twenty-eight (27.7%) of 101 patients developed POCD in patients with hypertension undergoing prone spine surgery, and intraoperative SstO2 is associated with POCD, whereas SctO2 shows no association with POCD. This study may initially provide a valuable new approach to the prevention of POCD in this population.

Pulse Oximeter Performance during Rapid Desaturation

The reliability of pulse oximetry is crucial, especially in cases of rapid changes in body oxygenation. In order to evaluate the performance of pulse oximeters during rapidly developing short periods of concurrent hypoxemia and hypercapnia, 13 healthy volunteers underwent 3 breathing phases during outdoor experiments (39 phases in total), monitored simultaneously by five different pulse oximeters. A significant incongruity in values displayed by the tested pulse oximeters was observed, even when the accuracy declared by the manufacturers were considered. In 28.2% of breathing phases, the five used devices did not show any congruent values. The longest uninterrupted congruent period formed 74.4% of total recorded time. Moreover, the congruent periods were rarely observed during the critical desaturation phase of the experiment. The time difference between the moments when the first and the last pulse oximeter showed the typical study endpoint values of SpO₂ 85% and 75% was 32.1 ± 23.6 s and 24.7 ± 19.3 s, respectively. These results suggest that SpO₂ might not be a reliable parameter as a study endpoint, or more importantly as a safety limit in outdoor experiments. In the design of future studies, more parameters and continuous clinical assessment should be included.

Correlation between brain tissue oxygen tension and regional cerebral oximetry in uninjured human brain under conditions of changing ventilation strategy

Controversy surrounds regional cerebral oximetry (rSO₂) because extracranial contamination and unmeasured changes in cerebral arterial:venous ratio confound readings. Correlation of rSO₂ with brain tissue oxygen (PbrO₂), a “gold standard” for cerebral oxygenation, could help resolve this controversy but PbrO₂ measurement is highly invasive. This was a prospective cohort study. The primary aim was to evaluate correlation between PbrO₂ and rSO₂ and the secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between changing ventilation regimens and measurement of PbrO₂ and rSO₂. Patients scheduled for elective removal of cerebral metastases were anesthetized with propofol and remifentanil, targeted to a BIS range 40–60. rSO₂ was measured using the INVOS 5100B monitor and PbrO₂ using the Licox brain monitoring system. The Licox probe was placed into an area of normal brain within the tumor excision corridor. FiO₂ and minute ventilation were sequentially adjusted to achieve two set points: (1) FiO₂ 0.3 and paCO₂ 30 mmHg, (2) FiO₂ 1.0 and paCO₂ 40 mmHg. PbrO₂ and rSO₂ were recorded at each. Nine participants were included in the final analysis, which showed a positive Spearman’s correlation (r = 0.50, p = 0.036) between PbrO₂ and rSO₂. From set point 1 to set point 2, PbrO₂ increased from median 6.0, IQR 4.0–11.3 to median 22.5, IQR 9.8–43.6, p = 0.015; rSO₂ increased from median 68.0, IQR 62.5–80.5 to median 83.0, IQR 74.0–90.0, p = 0.047. Correlation between PbrO₂ and rSO₂ is evident. Increasing FiO₂ and PaCO₂ results in significant increases in cerebral oxygenation measured by both monitors.

Quantitative Changes in Muscular and Capillary Oxygen Desaturation Measured by Optical Sensors during Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Titration for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most effective treatment. Poor adherence is one of the major challenges in CPAP therapy. The recent boom of wearable optical sensors measuring oxygen saturation makes at-home multiple-night CPAP titrations possible, which may essentially improve the adherence of CPAP therapy by optimizing its pressure in a real-life setting economically. We tested whether the oxygen desaturations (ODs) measured in the arm muscle (arm_OD) by gold-standard frequency-domain multi-distance near-infrared spectroscopy (FDMD-NIRS) change quantitatively with titrated CPAP pressures in OSA patients together with polysomnography. We found that the arm_OD (2.08 ± 1.23%, mean ± standard deviation) was significantly smaller (p-value < 0.0001) than the fingertip OD (finger_OD) (4.46 ± 2.37%) measured by a polysomnography pulse oximeter. Linear mixed-effects models suggested that CPAP pressure was a significant predictor for finger_OD but not for arm_OD. Since FDMD-NIRS measures a mixture of arterial and venous OD, whereas a fingertip pulse oximeter measures arterial OD, our results of no association between arm_OD and finger_OD indicate that the arm_OD mainly represented venous desaturation. Arm_OD measured by optical sensors used for wearables may not be a suitable indicator of the CPAP titration effectiveness.

Neurologic Dysfunction and Neuroprotection in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a fast-growing procedure. Expanding to low-risk patients, it has surpassed surgical aortic valve implantation in frequency and has been associated with excellent outcomes. Stroke is a devastating complication after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Silent brain infarcts identified by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging are present in most patients following TAVI. Postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction are common neurologic complications. The stroke and silent brain infarcts are likely caused by particulate emboli released during the procedure. Intravascularly positioned cerebral embolic protection devices are designed to prevent debris from entering the aortic arch vessels to avoid stroke. Despite promising design, randomized clinical trials have not demonstrated a reduction in stroke in patients receiving cerebral embolic protection devices. Similarly, the association of cerebral embolic protection devices with silent brain infarcts, postoperative delirium, and cognitive dysfunction is uncertain. Monitored anesthesia care or conscious sedation is as safe as general anesthesia and is associated with lower cost, but different anesthetic techniques have not been shown to decrease stroke risk, postoperative delirium, or cognitive dysfunction. Anesthesiologists play important roles in providing perioperative care including management of neurologic events in patients undergoing TAVI. Large randomized clinical trials are needed that focus on the correlation between perioperative interventions and neurologic outcomes.

The Challenges and Pitfalls of Detecting Sleep Hypopnea Using a Wearable Optical Sensor: Comparative Study

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most prevalent respiratory sleep disorder occurring in 9% to 38% of the general population. About 90% of patients with suspected OSA remain undiagnosed due to the lack of sleep laboratories or specialists and the high cost of gold-standard in-lab polysomnography diagnosis, leading to a decreased quality of life and increased health care burden in cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. Wearable sleep trackers like smartwatches and armbands are booming, creating a hope for cost-efficient at-home OSA diagnosis and assessment of treatment (eg, continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP] therapy) effectiveness. However, such wearables are currently still not available and cannot be used to detect sleep hypopnea. Sleep hypopnea is defined by ≥30% drop in breathing and an at least 3% drop in peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (Spo₂) measured at the fingertip. Whether the conventional measures of oxygen desaturation (OD) at the fingertip and at the arm or wrist are identical is essentially unknown.

Objective

We aimed to compare event-by-event arm OD (arm_OD) with fingertip OD (finger_OD) in sleep hypopneas during both naïve sleep and CPAP therapy.

Methods

Thirty patients with OSA underwent an incremental, stepwise CPAP titration protocol during all-night in-lab video-polysomnography monitoring (ie, 1-h baseline sleep without CPAP followed by stepwise increments of 1 cmH₂O pressure per hour starting from 5 to 8 cmH₂O depending on the individual). Arm_OD of the left biceps muscle and finger_OD of the left index fingertip in sleep hypopneas were simultaneously measured by frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy and video-polysomnography photoplethysmography, respectively. Bland-Altman plots were used to illustrate the agreements between arm_OD and finger_OD during baseline sleep and under CPAP. We used t tests to determine whether these measurements significantly differed.

Results

In total, 534 obstructive apneas and 2185 hypopneas were recorded. Of the 2185 hypopneas, 668 (30.57%) were collected during baseline sleep and 1517 (69.43%), during CPAP sleep. The mean difference between finger_OD and arm_OD was 2.86% (95% CI 2.67%-3.06%, t₆₆₇=28.28; P<.001; 95% limits of agreement [LoA] –2.27%, 8.00%) during baseline sleep and 1.83% (95% CI 1.72%-1.94%, t₁₅₁₆=31.99; P<.001; 95% LoA –2.54%, 6.19%) during CPAP. Using the standard criterion of 3% saturation drop, arm_OD only recognized 16.32% (109/668) and 14.90% (226/1517) of hypopneas at baseline and during CPAP, respectively.

Conclusions

arm_OD is 2% to 3% lower than standard finger_OD in sleep hypopnea, probably because the measured arm_OD originates physiologically from arterioles, venules, and capillaries; thus, the venous blood adversely affects its value. Our findings demonstrate that the standard criterion of ≥3% OD drop at the arm or wrist is not suitable to define hypopnea because it could provide large false-negative results in diagnosing OSA and assessing CPAP treatment effectiveness.

Hydroyxurea improves cerebral oxygen saturation in children with sickle cell anemia

Neurologic complications are common in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA), but conventional tools such as MRI and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) do not fully assess cerebrovascular pathology. Cerebral tissue oximetry measures mixed oxygen saturation in the frontal lobes (S_CT O₂ ) and provides early prognostic information about tissue at risk of ischemic injury. Untreated patients with SCA have significantly lower S_CT O₂ than healthy controls that declines with age. Hydroxyurea is effective in preventing many SCA-related complications, but the degree to which it preserves normal neurophysiology is unclear. We analyzed participants enrolled in the Therapeutic Response Evaluation and Adherence Trial (TREAT, NCT02286154), which enrolled participants initiating hydroxyurea using individualized dosing (new cohort) and those previously taking hydroxyurea (old cohort) and was designed to monitor the long-term benefits of hydroxyurea. Cerebral oximetry was performed at baseline and annually. For the new cohort (median starting age = 12 months, n = 55), mean baseline S_CT O₂ was normal before starting hydroxyurea (mean 65%, 95% CI 58-72%) and significantly increased after 2 years (mean 72%, 95% CI 65-79%, p < .001). The S_CT O₂ for patients receiving long-term hydroxyurea (median age = 9.6 years) was normal at study entry (mean 66%, 95% CI 58-74%) and remained stable across 2 years. Both cohorts had significantly higher S_CT O₂ than published data from predominantly untreated SCA patients. Cerebral oximetry is a non-invasive method to assess cerebrovascular pathology that complements conventional imaging. Our results indicate that hydroxyurea suggests protection against neurophysiologic changes seen in untreated SCA.

Cerebral regional oxygen saturation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and return of spontaneous circulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

Predicting the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in victims of cardiac arrest (CA) remains challenging. Cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) measured during resuscitation is feasible, and higher initial and overall values seem associated with ROSC. However, these observations were limited to the analysis of few small single-centre studies. There is a growing number of studies evaluating the role of cerebral rSO2 in the prediction of ROSC.

METHODS

We conducted an updated meta-analysis aimed at investigating the association of initial and overall values of cerebral rSO2 with ROSC after CA. We performed subgroups analyses according to the location of CA and conducted a secondary analysis according to the country where the study was conducted (resuscitation practice varies greatly for out-of-hospital CA).

RESULTS

We included 17 studies. Higher initial rSO2 values (11 studies, n = 2870, 16.6% achieved ROSC) were associated with ROSC: Mean Difference (MD) -11.54 [95%Confidence Interval (CI)-20.96, -2.12]; p = 0.02 (I2 = 97%). The secondary analysis confirmed this finding when pooling together European and USA studies, but did not for Japanese studies (p = 0.06). One multi-centre Japanese study was an outlier with large influence on 95%CI. Higher overall rSO2 values during resuscitation (9 studies, n = 894, 33.7% achieving ROSC) were associated with ROSC: MD-10.38; [-13.73, -7.03]; p < 0.00001 (I2 = 77%). All studies were conducted in Europe/USA.

CONCLUSIONS

This updated meta-analysis confirmed the association between higher initial and overall values of cerebral rSO2 and ROSC after CA. However, we found geographical differences, since this association was not present when Japanese studies were analysed separately.

Neonatal NIRS monitoring: recommendations for data capture and review of analytics

Brain injury is one of the most consequential problems facing neonates, with many preterm and term infants at risk for cerebral hypoxia and ischemia. To develop effective neuroprotective strategies, the mechanistic basis for brain injury must be understood. The fragile state of neonates presents unique research challenges; invasive measures of cerebral blood flow and oxygenation assessment exceed tolerable risk profiles. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can safely and non-invasively estimate cerebral oxygenation, a correlate of cerebral perfusion, offering insight into brain injury-related mechanisms. Unfortunately, lack of standardization in device application, recording methods, and error/artifact correction have left the field fractured. In this article, we provide a framework for neonatal NIRS research. Our goal is to provide a rational basis for NIRS data capture and processing that may result in better comparability between studies. It is also intended to serve as a primer for new NIRS researchers and assist with investigation initiation.

Excess cerebral oxygen delivery follows return of spontaneous circulation in near-term asphyxiated lambs

Hypoxic-ischaemia renders the neonatal brain susceptible to early secondary injury from oxidative stress and impaired autoregulation. We aimed to describe cerebral oxygen kinetics and haemodynamics immediately following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and evaluate non-invasive parameters to facilitate bedside monitoring. Near-term sheep fetuses [139 ± 2 (SD) days gestation, n = 16] were instrumented to measure carotid artery (CA) flow, pressure, right brachial arterial and jugular venous saturation (SaO2 and SvO2, respectively). Cerebral oxygenation (crSO2) was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Following induction of severe asphyxia, lambs received cardiopulmonary resuscitation using 100% oxygen until ROSC, with oxygen subsequently weaned according to saturation nomograms as per current guidelines. We found that oxygen consumption did not rise following ROSC, but oxygen delivery was markedly elevated until 15 min after ROSC. CrSO2 and heart rate each correlated with oxygen delivery. SaO2 remained > 90% and was less useful for identifying trends in oxygen delivery. CrSO2 correlated inversely with cerebral fractional oxygen extraction. In conclusion, ROSC from perinatal asphyxia is characterised by excess oxygen delivery that is driven by rapid increases in cerebrovascular pressure, flow, and oxygen saturation, and may be monitored non-invasively. Further work to describe and limit injury mediated by oxygen toxicity following ROSC is warranted.

The Various Oximetric Techniques Used for the Evaluation of Blood Oxygenation

Adequate oxygen delivery to a tissue depends on sufficient oxygen content in arterial blood and blood flow to the tissue. Oximetry is a technique for the assessment of blood oxygenation by measurements of light transmission through the blood, which is based on the different absorption spectra of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. Oxygen saturation in arterial blood provides information on the adequacy of respiration and is routinely measured in clinical settings, utilizing pulse oximetry. Oxygen saturation, in venous blood (SvO₂) and in the entire blood in a tissue (StO₂), is related to the blood supply to the tissue, and several oximetric techniques have been developed for their assessment. SvO₂ can be measured non-invasively in the fingers, making use of modified pulse oximetry, and in the retina, using the modified Beer–Lambert Law. StO₂ is measured in peripheral muscle and cerebral tissue by means of various modes of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), utilizing the relative transparency of infrared light in muscle and cerebral tissue. The primary problem of oximetry is the discrimination between absorption by hemoglobin and scattering by tissue elements in the attenuation measurement, and the various techniques developed for isolating the absorption effect are presented in the current review, with their limitations.

The Association of Cerebral Desaturation During One-Lung Ventilation and Postoperative Recovery: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to investigate whether cerebral oxygen desaturations during thoracic surgery are predictive of patients' quality of recovery. As a secondary aim, the authors investigated the relationship among cerebral desaturations and postoperative delirium and hospital length of stay.

DESIGN

This study was a prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

A single tertiary-care medical center from September 2012 through March 2014.

PATIENTS

Adult patients scheduled for elective pulmonary surgery requiring one-lung ventilation.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients were monitored with the ForeSight cerebral oximeter.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The primary assessment tool was the Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method. Of the 117 patients analyzed in the study, 60 of the patients desaturated below a cerebral oximetry level of 65% for a minimum of 3 minutes (51.3%). Patients who desaturated were significantly less likely to have cognitive recovery in the immediate postoperative period (p = 0.012), which did not persist in the postoperative period beyond day 0. Patients who desaturated also were more likely to have delirium (p = 0.048, odds ratio 2.81 [95% CI 1.01-7.79]) and longer length of stay (relative duration 1.35, 95% CI 1.05-1.73; p = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative cerebral oxygen desaturations, frequent during one-lung ventilation, are associated significantly with worse early cognitive recovery, high risk of postoperative delirium, and prolonged length of stay. Large interventional studies on cerebral oximetry in the thoracic operating room are warranted.

Clinical and Technical Limitations of Cerebral and Somatic Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as an Oxygenation Monitor

Cerebral and somatic near-infrared spectroscopy monitors are commonly used to detect tissue oxygenation in various circumstances. This form of monitoring is based on tissue infrared absorption and can be influenced by several physiological and non-physiological factors that can induce error in the interpretation. This narrative review explores those clinical and technical limitations and proposes solutions and alternatives in order to avoid some of those pitfalls.

Effect of End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide on Cerebral Dynamics in Infants With Ventricular Septal Defect: A Comparison Between Sevoflurane and Intravenous Anesthetics

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim was to compare the changes in regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂) and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) during sevoflurane and intravenous anesthesia when the end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (P_ETCO₂) changed in infants undergoing ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study.

SETTING

Tertiary care hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients younger than 6 months with VSDs.

INTERVENTIONS

End-tidal carbon dioxide was increased by decreasing tidal volume or respiratory rate.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The infants were randomly assigned to receive either sevoflurane (SA group) or midazolam-sufentanil based intravenous anesthesia (IA group). P_ETCO₂ levels of 30 mmHg (T1), 35 mmHg (T2), 40 mmHg (T3), or 45 mmHg (T4) were obtained by adjusting the tidal volume and respiratory rate. There were no significant intergroup differences in rSO_2. In the SA group, as P_ETCO₂ increased from T1 to T4, rSO₂ increased significantly from 68.8% ± 5.9% to 76.4% ± 6.0% (p < 0.001). CBFV increased linearly, whereas the pulsatility index and resistance index decreased linearly from T1 to T4 (p < 0.001). In the IA group, rSO₂ showed a significant increase from 68.6% ± 4.6% to 76.1% ± 6.2% with the change in P_ETCO₂ from T1 to T4 (p < 0.001). CBFV increased linearly, whereas the pulsatility index and resistance index decreased linearly from T1 to T4 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Cerebrovascular response to different P_ETCO₂ levels was preserved and similar during clinically relevant doses of sevoflurane anesthesia and midazolam-sufentanil based intravenous anesthesia in infants younger than 6 months old undergoing VSD repair.

Effects of relative low minute ventilation on cerebral haemodynamics in infants undergoing ventricular septal defect repair

BACKGROUND

Ventilation-associated changes in blood carbon dioxide levels are associated with various physiological changes in infants undergoing surgery. Studies on the effects of mechanical ventilation on cerebral haemodynamics especially for infants with CHD are scarce.

AIM

This study was done to compare the changes in regional cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow velocity when the end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure changed during different minute ventilation settings in infants undergoing ventricular septal defect repair.

METHODS

A total of 67 patients less than 1 year old with ventricular septal defect were enrolled, and 65 patients (age: 6.7 ± 3.4 months, weight: 6.4 ± 1.5 kg) were studied. After anaesthesia induction and endotracheal intubation, the same mechanical ventilation mode (The fraction of inspired oxygen was 50%, and the inspiratory-to-expiratory ratio was 1:1.5.) was adopted. The end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure of 30 mmHg (T1), 35 mmHg (T2), 40 mmHg (T3), or 45 mmHg (T4) were obtained, respectively, by adjusting tidal volume and respiratory rate. Minute ventilation per kilogram was calculated by the formula: minute ventilation per kilogram = tidal volume * respiratory rate/kg. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation was monitored by real-time near-infrared spectroscopy. Cerebral blood flow velocity (systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, and mean flow velocity), pulsatility index, and resistance index were measured intermittently by transcranial Doppler. Systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, stroke volume index, and cardiac index were recorded using the pressure recording analytical method.

RESULTS

As the end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure increased from 30 to 45 mmHg, regional cerebral oxygen saturation increased significantly from 69 ± 5% to 79 ± 4% (p < 0.001). Cerebral blood flow velocity (systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, and mean flow velocity) increased linearly, while pulsatility index and resistance index decreased linearly from T1 (systolic flow velocity, 84 ± 19 cm/second; end-diastolic flow velocity, 14 ± 4 cm/second; mean flow velocity, 36 ± 10 cm/second; pulsatility index, 2.13 ± 0.59; resistance index, 0.84 ± 0.12) to T4 (systolic flow velocity, 113 ± 22 cm/second; end-diastolic flow velocity, 31 ± 6 cm/second; mean flow velocity, 58 ± 11 cm/second; pulsatility index, 1.44 ± 0.34; resistance index, 0.72 ± 0.07) (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in changes of systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, mean flow velocity, pulsatility index, and resistance index as the end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure increased from 30 to 45 mmHg between subgroups of infants ≤6 and infants >6 months, while the changes of regional cerebral oxygen saturation between subgroups were not statistically different. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow velocity (systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, and mean flow velocity) were negatively correlated with minute ventilation per kilogram (r = -0.538, r = -0.379, r = -0.504, r = -0.505, p < 0.001). Pulsatility index and resistance index were positively related to minute ventilation per kilogram (r = 0.464, r = 0.439, p < 0.001). The diastolic pressure was significantly reduced from T1 (41 ± 7 mmHg) to T4 (37 ± 6 mmHg) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in systolic pressure, stroke volume index, and cardiac index with the change of end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure from T1 to T4 (p = 0.063, p = 0.382, p = 0.165, p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A relative low minute ventilation strategy increases regional cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow, which may improve cerebral oxygenation and brain perfusion in infants undergoing ventricular septal defect repair.

Dysfunctional cerebral autoregulation is associated with delirium in critically ill adults

Delirium is common during critical illness and is associated with morbidity and mortality, but its pathophysiology is unknown. We tested whether dysfunctional cerebral autoregulation (CA) contributes to the development of delirium. Adult patients (n = 40) with respiratory failure and/or shock were prospectively enrolled. Continuous recordings of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂) were obtained by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during the first 72 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. CA function was estimated by the cerebral oximetry index (COx), which is the time-varying correlation between rSO₂ and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Delirium was assessed daily. The median ICU stay was seven days (IQR 4-13). Twenty-four patients (60%) screened positive for delirium on at least one day during their stay. Taking positive COx values to reflect periods of CA dysfunction, we found that the cumulative duration of CA dysfunction during the first one to three days in the ICU was significantly associated with the subsequent development of delirium. Additionally, we assessed two alternative methods for estimating optimal MAP targets in individual patients. In summary, early disturbances in CA may contribute to delirium, and NIRS-derived rSO2 may be used to identify individual perfusion targets in critically ill patients.

Retinal oximetry and systemic arterial oxygen levels

PURPOSE

Continuous peripheral pulse oximetry for monitoring adequacy of oxygenation is probably the most important technological advance for patients' monitoring and safety in the last decades. Pulse oximetry has the disadvantage of measuring the peripheral circulation, and the only mean to measure oxygen content of the central circulation is by invasive technology. Determination of blood oxyhaemoglobin saturation in the retinal vessels of the eye can be achieved noninvasively through spectrophotometric retinal oximetry which provides access to the central nervous system circulation. The aim of the thesis was to determine whether retinal oximetry technique can be applied for estimation of the central nervous system circulation which until now has only been possible invasively. This was achieved by measuring oxyhaemoglobin saturation in three adult subject study groups: in people with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) to observe local tissue hypoxia, in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on long-term oxygen therapy to observe systemic hypoxaemia and in healthy subjects during hyperoxic breathing to observe systemic hyperoxemia. In addition, the fourth study that is mentioned was performed to test whether retinal oximetry is feasible for neonates.

METHODS

Retinal oximetry in central retinal vein occlusion: Sixteen subjects with central retinal vein occlusion participated in the study. The oxyhaemoglobin saturation of the central retinal vein occlusion affected eye was compared with the fellow unaffected eye. Retinal oximetry in healthy people under hyperoxia: Thirty healthy subjects participated in the study, and the oxyhaemoglobin saturation of retinal arterioles and venules was compared between normoxic and hyperoxic breathing. Retinal oximetry in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Eleven patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease participated in the study. Retinal oximetry measurements were made with and without their daily supplemental oxygen therapy. Retinal arteriolar oxyhaemoglobin saturation when inspiring ambient air was compared with blood samples from the radial artery and finger pulse oximetry and healthy controls. The healthy control group was assembled from our database for comparison of oxyhaemoglobin saturation of retinal arterioles and venules during the ambient air breathing. The retinal oximeter is based on a conventional fundus camera and a specialized software. A beam splitter coupled with two high-resolution digital cameras allows for simultaneous acquisition of retinal images at separative wavelengths for calculation of oxyhaemoglobin saturation. In addition, retinal images of 28 full-term healthy neonates were obtained with scanning laser ophthalmoscope combined with modified Oxymap analysis software for calculation of the optical density ratio and vessel diameter RESULTS: Retinal oximetry in central retinal vein occlusion: Mean retinal venous oxyhaemoglobin saturation was 31 ± 12% in CRVO eyes and 52 ± 11% in unaffected fellow eyes (mean ± SD, n = 14, p < 0.0001). The arteriovenous oxygen difference (AV-difference) was 63 ± 11% in CRVO eyes and 43 ± 7% in fellow eyes (p < 0.0001). The variability of retinal venous oxyhaemoglobin saturation was considerable within and between eyes affected by CRVO. There was no difference in oxyhaemoglobin saturation of retinal arterioles between the CRVO eyes and the unaffected eyes (p = 0.49). Retinal oximetry in healthy people under hyperoxia: During hyperoxic breathing, the oxyhaemoglobin saturation in retinal arterioles increased to 94.5 ± 3.8% as compared with 92.0 ± 3.7% at baseline (n = 30, p < 0.0001). In venules, the mean oxyhaemoglobin saturation increased to 76.2 ± 8.0% from 51.3 ± 5.6% (p < 0.0001) at baseline. The AV-difference was markedly lower during hyperoxic breathing as compared with the normoxic breathing (18.3 ± 9.0% versus 40.7 ± 5.7%, p < 0.0001). Retinal oximetry in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: During ambient air breathing, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects had significantly lower oxyhaemoglobin saturation than healthy controls in both retinal arterioles (87.2 ± 4.9% versus 93.4 ± 4.3%, p = 0.02, n = 11) and venules (45.0 ± 10.3% versus 55.2 ± 5.5%, p = 0.01) but the AV-difference was not markedly different (p = 0.17). Administration of their prescribed oxygen therapy significantly increased the oxyhaemoglobin saturation in retinal arterioles (87.2 ± 4.9% to 89.5 ± 6.0%, p = 0.02) but not in venules (45.0 ± 10.3% to 46.7 ± 12.8%, p = 0.3). Retinal oximetry values were slightly lower than finger pulse oximetry (mean percentage points difference = -3.1 ± 5.5) and radial artery blood values (-5.0 ± 5.4). Retinal oximetry study in neonates: The modified version of the retinal oximetry instrument estimated the optical density ratio in retinal arterioles to be 0.256 ± 0.041 that was significantly different from the 0.421 ± 0.089 in venules (n = 28, p < 0.001, paired t-test). The vascular diameter of retinal arterioles was markedly narrower than of venules (14.1 ± 2.7 and 19.7 ± 3.7 pixels, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results of this thesis indicate that spectrophotometric retinal oximetry is sensitive to both local and systemic changes in oxyhaemoglobin saturation. Retinal oxyhaemoglobin saturation values are slightly lower than radial artery blood sample and finger pulse oximetry values. The discrepancies between the different modalities are expected to derive from countercurrent exchange between central retinal artery and vein within the optic nerve but calibration issues cannot be excluded as contributing to this difference. Despite these differences, the findings indicate the potential of retinal oximetry for noninvasive real-time measurements of oxyhaemoglobin saturation in central nervous system vessels. Following calibration upgrade and technological improvement, verification retinal oximetry may potentially be applied to critically ill and anaesthesia care patients. The study on combined scanning laser ophthalmoscope and retinal oximetry supports the feasibility of the technique for oximetry analysis in newly born babies.

In vivo validation of cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy: a review

We summarize the available in vivo validation of cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) oximetry to inform future in vivo validation strategies. In particular, to establish a way forward in the assessment of NIRS instrumentation for future randomized trials, a systematic literature search is performed. The records are screened and abstracts are assessed to select studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria. Twenty-two pediatric and 28 adult studies are analyzed after exclusion of three articles in each group. All studies compare regional cerebral tissue oxygenation measured by cerebral NIRS to invasive measurement of central or jugular venous oxygen saturation. In studies without Bland-Altman plots, we extracted data from scatter plots enabling estimation of mean difference (MD), standard deviation (SD), and limits of agreement (LOA). To assess the agreement between rStO 2 (regional cerebral tissue oxygenation) estimated by NIRS and by blood samples, weighted averages of the MDs and SDs from each study are calculated. We found a fair agreement between the overall mean of cerebral tissue oxygenation and the mean of a reference value measured by co-oximetry whatever NIRS instrument or site of blood sampling used. Cerebral oxygenation overestimates the reference at low values, some instruments apparently more than others. Thus, a high degree of scatter and a lack of a good reference method complicate in vivo validation of NIRS. It is difficult to draw any firm conclusions despite the large number of studies, and the result of this review leaves us questioning if more of such validation studies of cerebral NIRS oximetry are really needed. Furthermore, the combination of lack of validation and poor repeatability is an important issue when designing a randomized clinical trial of implementing cerebral NIRS oximetry into clinical care.

Neuroprotective Strategies in Repair and Replacement of the Aortic Arch

Aortic arch surgery is a technical challenge, and cerebral protection during distal anastomosis is a continued topic of controversy and discussion. The physiologic effects of hypothermic arrest and adjunctive cerebral perfusion have yet to be fully defined, and the optimal strategies are still undetermined. This review highlights the historical context, physiological rationale, and clinical efficacy of various neuroprotective strategies during arch operations.

Effect of regional cerebral oximetry to estimate neurologic prognostic outcomes in patients administered targeted temperature management

PURPOSE

The aim of our study is to research the role and efficacy of cerebral oximetry in predicting neurologic prognosis when applied during TTM to patients experiencing coma after CA.

METHODS

This study was performed on surviving adult comatose patients after CA treated with TTM. The average scores of rSO₂ was measured at 6h intervals for the first 2days and once a day for the following 3days with a NIRS device during TTM. The CPC scale was used to define the neurologic outcomes of patients. We compared the correlations of rSO₂ values between good (CPC 1-2) and poor (CPC 3-5) neurologic outcomes in CA patients.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference identified between the prognosis groups in terms of rSO₂, CPR durations, hemoglobin values and admission body temperature (p>0.05). When the variation in rSO₂ values over time is investigated, though there was no significant difference between the good and poor prognosis groups, it appeared to fall in the first 6h in both prognosis groups. The median NT-proBNP and lactate values were observed to be higher in the poor prognosis group.

CONCLUSION

There is no significant correlation between rSO₂ values and neurologic outcomes. Multimodal monitoring methods may be useful and further studies with a larger patient population are necessary in this area.

Non-invasive assessment of cerebral oxygenation: A comparison of retinal and transcranial oximetry

BACKGROUND

To investigate the correlation between cerebral (SO2-transcranial), retinal arterial (SaO2-retinal) and venous (SvO2-retinal) oxygen saturation as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and retinal oximetry respectively.

METHODS

Paired retinal and cerebral oxygen saturation measurements were performed in healthy volunteers. Arterial and venous retinal oxygen saturation and diameter were measured using a non-invasive spectrophotometric retinal oximeter. Cerebral oxygen saturation was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy. Correlations between SO2-transcranial and retinal oxygen saturation and diameter measurements were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and Bland-Altman analysis were performed to evaluate the agreement between SO2-transcranial as measured by NIRS and as estimated using a fixed arterial:venous ratio as 0.3 x SaO2-retinal + 0.7 x SvO2-retinal. The individual relative weight of SaO2-retinal and SvO2-retinal to obtain the measured SO2-transcranial was calculated for all subjects.

RESULTS

Twenty-one healthy individuals aged 26.4 ± 2.2 years were analyzed. SO2-transcranial was positively correlated with both SaO2-retinal and SvO2-retinal (r = 0.44, p = 0.045 and r = 0.43, p = 0.049 respectively) and negatively correlated with retinal venous diameter (r = -0.51, p = 0.017). Estimated SO2-transcranial based on retinal oximetry showed a tolerance interval of (-13.70 to 14.72) and CCC of 0.46 (95% confidence interval: 0.05 to 0.73) with measured SO2-transcranial. The average relative weights of SaO2-retinal and SvO2-retinal to obtain SO2-transcranial were 0.31 ± 0.11 and 0.69 ± 0.11, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to show the correlation between retinal and cerebral oxygen saturation, measured by NIRS and retinal oximetry. The average relative weight of arterial and venous retinal oxygen saturation to obtain the measured transcranial oxygen saturation as measured by NIRS, approximates the established arterial:venous ratio of 30:70 closely, but shows substantial inter-individual variation. These findings provide a proof of concept for the role of retinal oximetry in evaluating cerebral oxygenation.

An observational study of the optimal placement of a cerebral oximeter probe to avoid the frontal sinus in children

The frontal sinus is an airspace behind the brow ridge in the skull and can affect the accuracy of the regional cerebral oxygen saturation measurements. We evaluated the optimal location for placement of a cerebral oximeter probe while avoiding the frontal sinus in pediatric patients. This retrospective observational study included 203 pediatric patients aged 3-17 years who had undergone brain computed tomography from November 2010 to December 2015. The patients were divided into five subgroups based on their age. The frontal sinus height was measured from the superior orbital rim. Pneumatization of the frontal sinus was not visible in 78% (3-5 years) and 22% (6-8 years) of the patients. The mean (SD) of the frontal sinus height was 5.9 (3.4), 9.5 (4.1), 14.0 (6.2) 18.6 (8.4), and 21.1 (7.9) mm in the 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 15-17 year age-groups, respectively. Age was positively correlated with the frontal sinus height (r = 0.61, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.513-0.688). A frontal sinus height shorter than 1, 2, and 3 cm were seen in 10 of 11 (91%), 69 of 74 (94%), and 108 of 118 (90%) patients aged 3-5, 6-10, and 11-17 years, respectively. When oximeter probes are applied in pediatric patients, placement based on age can help avoid the frontal sinus.

Effects of Changes in Arterial Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen Partial Pressures on Cerebral Oximeter Performance

BACKGROUND

Cerebral oximetry (cerebral oxygen saturation; ScO2) is used to noninvasively monitor cerebral oxygenation. ScO2 readings are based on the fraction of reduced and oxidized hemoglobin as an indirect estimate of brain tissue oxygenation and assume a static ratio of arterial to venous intracranial blood. Conditions that alter cerebral blood flow, such as acute changes in PaCO2, may decrease accuracy. We assessed the performance of two commercial cerebral oximeters across a range of oxygen concentrations during normocapnia and hypocapnia.

METHODS

Casmed FORE-SIGHT Elite (CAS Medical Systems, Inc., USA) and Covidien INVOS 5100C (Covidien, USA) oximeter sensors were placed on 12 healthy volunteers. The fractional inspired oxygen tension was varied to achieve seven steady-state levels including hypoxic and hyperoxic PaO2 values. ScO2 and simultaneous arterial and jugular venous blood gas measurements were obtained with both normocapnia and hypocapnia. Oximeter bias was calculated as the difference between the ScO2 and reference saturation using manufacturer-specified weighting ratios from the arterial and venous samples.

RESULTS

FORE-SIGHT Elite bias was greater during hypocapnia as compared with normocapnia (4 ± 9% vs. 0 ± 6%; P < 0.001). The INVOS 5100C bias was also lower during normocapnia (5 ± 15% vs. 3 ± 12%; P = 0.01). Hypocapnia resulted in a significant decrease in mixed venous oxygen saturation and mixed venous oxygen tension, as well as increased oxygen extraction across fractional inspired oxygen tension levels (P < 0.0001). Bias increased significantly with increasing oxygen extraction (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in PaCO2 affect cerebral oximeter accuracy, and increased bias occurs with hypocapnia. Decreased accuracy may represent an incorrect assumption of a static arterial-venous blood fraction. Understanding cerebral oximetry limitations is especially important in patients at risk for hypoxia-induced brain injury, where PaCO2 may be purposefully altered.

A validation method for near-infrared spectroscopy based tissue oximeters for cerebral and somatic tissue oxygen saturation measurements

We describe the validation methodology for the NIRS based FORE-SIGHT ELITE^® (CAS Medical Systems, Inc., Branford, CT, USA) tissue oximeter for cerebral and somatic tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) measurements for adult subjects submitted to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain clearance for clinical use. This validation methodology evolved from a history of NIRS validations in the literature and FDA recommended use of Deming regression and bootstrapping statistical validation methods. For cerebral validation, forehead cerebral StO₂ measurements were compared to a weighted 70:30 reference (REF CX_B) of co-oximeter internal jugular venous and arterial blood saturation of healthy adult subjects during a controlled hypoxia sequence, with a sensor placed on the forehead. For somatic validation, somatic StO₂ measurements were compared to a weighted 70:30 reference (REF CX_S) of co-oximetry central venous and arterial saturation values following a similar protocol, with sensors place on the flank, quadriceps muscle, and calf muscle. With informed consent, 25 subjects successfully completed the cerebral validation study. The bias and precision (1 SD) of cerebral StO₂ compared to REF CX_B was −0.14 ± 3.07%. With informed consent, 24 subjects successfully completed the somatic validation study. The bias and precision of somatic StO₂ compared to REF CX_S was 0.04 ± 4.22% from the average of flank, quadriceps, and calf StO₂ measurements to best represent the global whole body REF CX_S. The NIRS validation methods presented potentially provide a reliable means to test NIRS monitors and qualify them for clinical use.

Neuroprognostication after adult cardiac arrest treated with targeted temperature management: task force for Belgian recommendations

The prognosis of patients who are admitted to the hospital after cardiac arrest often relies on neurological examination, which could be significantly influenced by the use of sedative drugs or the implementation of targeted temperature management. The need for early and accurate prognostication is crucial as up to 15-20% of patients could be considered as having a poor outcome and may undergo withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies while a complete neurological recovery is still possible. As current practice in Belgium is still based on a very early assessment of neurological function in these patients, the Belgian Society of Intensive Care Medicine created a multidisciplinary Task Force to provide an optimal approach for monitoring and refine prognosis of CA survivors. This Task Force underlined the importance to use a multimodal approach using several additional tools (e.g., electrophysiological tests, neuroimaging, biomarkers) and to refer cases with uncertain prognosis to specialized centers to better evaluate the extent of brain injury in these patients.

Simulation of oxygen saturation measurement in a single blood vein

The value of oxygen saturation in venous blood, SvO₂, has important clinical significance since it is related to the tissue oxygen utilization, which is related to the blood flow to the tissue and to its metabolism rate. However, existing pulse oximetry techniques are not suitable for blood in veins. In the current study we examine the feasibility of difference oximetry to assess SvO₂ by using two near-infrared wavelengths and collecting the backscattered light from two photodetectors located at different distances from the light source.

Effects of Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Internal Jugular Bulb Venous Oxygen Saturation, Cerebral Oxygen Saturation, and Bispectral Index in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), internal jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2), mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), and bispectral index (BIS) used to monitor cerebral oxygen balance in pediatric patients.Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists Class II-III patients aged 1 to 4 years old with congenital heart disease scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were included in this study. Temperature, BIS, rSO2, mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and hematocrit were recorded. Internal jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation and SvO2 were obtained from blood gas analysis at the time points: after induction of anesthesia (T0), beginning of CPB (T1), ascending aortic occlusion (T2), 20 minutes after initiating CPB (T3), coronary reperfusion (T4), separation from CPB (T5), and at the end of operation (T6). The effect of hypothermia or changes in CPP on rSO2, SjvO2, SvO2, and BIS were analyzed.Compared with postinduction baseline values, rSO2 significantly decreased at all-time points: onset of extracorporeal circulation, ascending aortic occlusion, 20 minutes after CPB initiation, coronary reperfusion, and separation from CPB (P < 0.05). Compared with measurements made following induction of anesthesia, SjvO2 significantly increased with initiation of CPB, ascending aortic occlusion, 20 minutes after initiating CPB, coronary reperfusion, and separation from CPB (P < 0.05). Compared with induction of anesthesia, BIS significantly decreased with the onset of CPB, aortic cross clamping, 20 minutes after initiating CPB, and coronary reperfusion (P < 0.05). Bispectral index increased following separation from CPB. There was no significant change in SvO2 during cardiopulmonary bypass (P > 0.05). Correlation analysis demonstrated that rSO2 was positively related to CPP (r = 0.687, P = 0.000), with a low linear correlation to temperature (r = 0.453, P = 0.000). Internal jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation was negatively related to temperature (r = -0.689, P = 0.000). Bispectral index was positively related to both temperature (r = 0.824, P = 0.000) and CPP (r = 0.782, P = 0.000). Cerebral oxygen saturation had a positive linear correlation with CPP and a low linear correlation to temperature. Internal jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation had a negative linear correlation to temperature.Pre-and and early postbypass periods are vulnerable times for adequate cerebral oxygenation. Anesthetic management must aim to optimize the supply and demand relationship.

Brain Tissue Oxygenation in Patients with Septic Shock: a Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND

Delirium is common in critically ill patients and its presence is associated with increased mortality and increased likelihood of poor cognitive function among survivors. However, the cause of delirium is unknown. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess brain tissue oxygenation in patients with septic shock, who are at high risk of developing delirium.

METHODS

This prospective observational study was conducted in a 33-bed general medical surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were eligible for recruitment. The FORESIGHT NIRS monitor was used to assess brain tissue oxygenation in the frontal lobes for the first 72 hours of ICU admission. Physiological data was also recorded. We used the Confusion Assessment Method-ICU to screen for delirium.

RESULTS

From March 1st 2014-September 30th 2014, 10 patients with septic shock were recruited. The NIRS monitor captured 81% of the available data. No adverse events were recorded. Brain tissue oxygenation demonstrated significant intra- and inter-individual variability in the way it correlated with physiological parameters, such as mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation. Mean brain tissue oxygen levels were significantly lower in patients who were delirious for the majority of their ICU stay.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to record brain tissue oxygenation with NIRS in patients with septic shock. This study provides the infrastructure necessary for a larger prospective observational study to further examine the relationship between brain tissue oxygenation, physiological parameters, and acute neurological dysfunction.