Near-infrared spectroscopy to detect absence of cerebrovascular autoregulation in preterm infants.

Objective: Our aim was to explore clinical parameters that might predict the absence of cerebrovascular autoregulation (CAR) assessed by a negative relationship between mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and fractional tissue oxygen extraction (FTOE) as measured by near-infared spectroscopy (NIRS) in preterm infants.

Methods: We included preterm infants (gestational age (GA) <32 weeks). Within 72 h after birth, we recorded the infants' NIRS parameters and MABP for a 24-h period.