Cerebral Oxygenation during the First 15 Minutes after Birth and Short-Term Outcome Measured by the Motor Optimality Score-Revised in Preterm Infants
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Monitoring cerebral regional oxygen saturation (crSO₂) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during immediate postnatal transition may help detect and mitigate cerebral hypoxia. General movement assessment (GMA), including fidgety movements (FMs) and the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R), is widely used to evaluate early motor development. METHODS: The objective was to assess differences in early motor outcome at 6-20 weeks corrected age according to group allocation in the randomized multicenter COSGOD III trial. This was a retrospective ancillary observational study. Preterm infants (<32 weeks' gestation) enrolled in COSGOD III at two Austrian centers (Graz and Inns-bruck) with available GMA video recordings at 6-20 weeks corrected age were included. MOS-R was scored retrospectively from these recordings. In COSGOD III, infants randomized to the NIRS group received continuous crSO₂ monitoring during immediate postnatal transition to guide resuscitation; in the control group, crSO₂ values were not displayed. The main outcome measure was MOS-R (range 5-28) derived from GMA video analysis. RESULTS: A total of 162 infants were included (NIRS: n = 76; control: n=86; median gestational age 29.6 vs. 28.8 weeks; p = 0.357). Normal FMs were present in 95% of infants (96% vs. 94%). However, MOS-R scores were significantly higher in the NIRS group (median [IQR]: 26 [24-28] vs. 24 [22-26]; p = 0.003), with more infants showing an age-adequate motor repertoire (83% vs. 66%; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Although FM presence was similar between groups, NIRS-guided management during immediate transition was associated with improved early motor performance, suggesting that targeted cerebral oxygenation may influence early neurodevelopment.
Source: Neonatology
DOI: 10.1159/000551959
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7155545968