Influence of skin to skin contact on cardiac indices and cerebral perfusion-oxygenation in severely asphyxiated infants.

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain the impact of skin to skin contact (SSC) on cardiac and cerebral indices in infants with severe perinatal asphyxia.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective comparison of cardiac function and cerebral perfusion-oxygenation in incubator care with SSC using echocardiography and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).

RESULTS

13 infants formed the study cohort; gestation and birthweight were 38.6 ± 1 weeks and 3173 ± 724 g, respectively. All infants were cooled for 72 h and the study intervention was done on day 6 of life (range 4-7). Right ventricular output was higher (231 ± 60 vs 296 ± 72 ml/kg/min, P = 0.03) and pulmonary vascular resistance index was lower (3.5 ± 0.6 vs 3 ± 0.16, P = 0.01) after SSC. Middle cerebral artery resistive index trended lower (0.72 ± 0.05 vs 0.65 ± 0.1, P = 0.07). Six infants had NIRS measurement; cerebral tissue oxygenation index during SSC was significantly higher than pre-SSC (68.6 ± 6.6 vs 63.7 ± 4.7%, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

In severely asphyxiated infants, 60 min of SSC confers significant haemodynamic benefits.