Delayed cord clamping is associated with improved dynamic cerebral autoregulation and decreased incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Delayed cord clamping (DCC) improves neurologic outcomes in preterm infants through a reduction in intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) incidence. The mechanism behind this neuroprotective effect is not known. Infants born <28 wk gestation were recruited for longitudinal monitoring. All infants underwent 72 h of synchronized near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) recording within 24 h of birth. Infants with DCC were compared with control infants with immediate cord clamping (ICC), controlling for severity of illness [clinical risk index for babies (CRIB-II) score], chorioamnionitis, antenatal steroids, sedation, inotropes, and delivery mode. Autoregulatory dampening was calculated as the transfer function gain coefficient between the MABP and NIRS signals. Forty-five infants were included (DCC; = 15, paired 2:1 with ICC controls = 30). ICC and DCC groups were similar including gestational age (25.5 vs. 25.2 wk, = 0.48), birth weight (852.3 vs. 816.6 g, = 0.73), percent female (40 vs. 40%, = 0.75), and dopamine usage (27 vs. 23%, = 1.00). There was a significant difference in IVH incidence between the DCC and ICC groups (20 vs. 50%, = 0.04). Mean MABP was not different (35.9 vs. 35.1 mmHg, = 0.44). Compared with the DCC group, the ICC group had diminished autoregulatory dampening capacity (-12.96 vs. -15.06 dB, = 0.01), which remained significant when controlling for confounders. Dampening capacity was, in turn, strongly associated with decreased risk of IVH (odds ratio = 0.14, < 0.01). The results of this pilot study demonstrate that DCC is associated with improved dynamic cerebral autoregulatory function and may be the mechanism behind the decreased incidence of IVH. The neuroprotective mechanism of delayed cord clamping in premature infants is unclear. Delayed cord clamping was associated with improved cerebral autoregulatory function and a marked decrease in intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Improved dynamic cerebral autoregulation may decrease arterial baroreceptor sensitivity, thereby reducing the risk of IVH.