ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effect of a change in global metabolic rate on peripheral oxygen consumption in neonates

I A-A Hassan¹, Y A Wickramasinghe² and S A Spencer^1,3

¹ Neonatal Unit, City General Hospital, Stoke on Trent, UK
² Centre for Science and Technology in Medicine, University of Keele, UK
³ The Medical School, Keele University, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Spencer, Neonatal Unit, Maternity Building, North Staffordshire Hospital (City General), Newcastle Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 6QG, UK;
andy.spencer{at}nstaffsh.wmids.nhs.uk

Aim: To evaluate the effect of an induced change in global metabolic rate on peripheral oxygen consumption (VO₂) in healthy full term neonates.

Subjects and methods: Twenty four healthy full term neonates were studied. Peripheral VO₂ was measured by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using arterial occlusion and measurement of the oxyhaemoglobin (HbO₂) decrement slope. Global VO₂ was measured by open circuit calorimetry. Global and peripheral VO₂ were measured in each neonate before and after a routine bath. Abdominal and forearm skin temperatures were also recorded.

Results: Nineteen neonates completed the study. Global VO₂ increased by 30.7% (p = 0.001), and peripheral VO₂ by 23.1% (p = 0.001). A correlation between the fractional changes in global and peripheral VO₂ was apparent (r = 0.76, p = 0.001). Abdominal skin temperature decreased by 0.8°C (p = 0.001), and forearm skin temperature by 0.6°C (p = 0.04).

Conclusions: Measurement of peripheral VO₂ using NIRS with arterial occlusion is responsive to conditions that increase global metabolic rate. Any change in global VO₂ must be taken into consideration during the interpretation of peripheral VO₂ measurements in neonates.

Keywords: oxygen consumption; metabolic rate; near infrared spectroscopy

Abbreviations: VO₂; oxygen consumption; NIRS, near infrared spectroscopy; HbO₂, oxygenated haemoglobin; HbT, total haemoglobin; CI, confidence intervals

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Pichler, G, Grossauer, K, Klaritsch, P, Kutschera, J, Zotter, H, Muller, W, Urlesberger, B (2007). Peripheral oxygenation in term neonates. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 92: F51-F52 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wickramasinghe, Y, Spencer, S A (2004). Quantification of peripheral oxygen consumption by near infrared spectroscopy. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 89: F469-F470 [Full Text]