Background and aims We have shown blood transfusion (BT) significantly reduces cerebral blood flow and improves cerebral tissue oxygenation in preterm infants during the first week of life .¹

Aim To study the effect of BT on cerebral blood flow and oxygenation during the 2nd to 4th week of life in preterm infants.

Methods Pre and post-BT Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA) peak systolic velocity, mean velocity, resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI), and Superior Vena Cava (SVC) flow were measured using Doppler USS. Pre, during and post-BT cerebral oxygenation were measured using Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRO 300).

Pre and post-BT measurements were compared by paired t-test using SPSS 22.0.

Results 21 preterm infants with median (range) gestational age of 25(23–30) weeks, birth weight 805(630–1250) grams, chronological age 14(8–27) days and pre-BT Haemoglobin 10.3(7.7–12.2) g/dl were studied.

Pre-BT ACA peak systolic (0.37 m/s) and mean velocity (0.19 m/s) decreased significantly post-BT (0.32 and 0.16 respectively; p < 0.01). There was no significant change in RI (p = 0.57) and PI (p = 0.53) in the ACA and SVC flow (p = 0.16) post-BT.

The cerebral HbO₂ increased significantly (mean difference 12.53 µM; p < 0.001) post-BT. The pre-BT mean cerebral tissue oxygenation index (TOI) (66.5%) increased significantly post-BT (73.6%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion The cerebral blood flow velocity decreased but there was no change in SVC flow volume; cerebral tissue oxygenation improved following BT during the 2nd to 4th week of life in preterm infants.

Reference 1 Banerjee J et al. PAS conference May 2014