Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40316680›Full record

SynthesisPediatric research2025

Cerebrovascular autoregulation and preterm brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Celina L Brunsch, Bineta E Lahr, Elisabeth M W Kooi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Pediatric research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Celina L BrunschDepartment of Neonatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. c.l.brunsch@umcg.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3394-7423
Bineta E LahrDepartment of Neonatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Elisabeth M W KooiDepartment of Neonatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPreterm neonates are vulnerable to impaired cerebrovascular autoregulation (CAR), with a risk of developing cerebral injury (intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia). In this meta-analysis, we evaluate the association between the degree of CAR and cerebral injury in preterm neonates, using various CAR assessment techniques mainly based on near-infrared spectroscopy.

methodsWe systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE between 01-05-2023 and 31-01-2024. We included original articles published between 2000-2023, reporting CAR and cerebral injury in preterm neonates. The study was registered in PROSPERO (ID: 427323). We assessed the standardized mean difference in degree of CAR in groups with and without cerebral injury, with a subgroup analysis of CAR measurement techniques.

resultsSeventeen articles were included, encompassing 742 patients. The overall standardized mean difference of 0.59 (95%CI 0.30, 0.88) indicates more impaired CAR in neonates with cerebral injury. Time-domain analysis produced the least heterogeneous and most significant difference of 0.61 (95%CI 0.24, 0.98). Limitations include differences in measurement techniques and a lack of randomized controlled trials.

conclusionThis meta-analysis showed an association between CAR and cerebral injury, highlighting the clinical relevance of CAR assessment in preterm neonates. Future randomized studies using standardized measurement techniques should assess the feasibility of CAR-guided hemodynamic management. IMPACT: Cerebral injury and adverse neurological outcomes are prevalent in preterm neonates. Historically, immature cerebrovascular autoregulation was thought to be one of the main causes of cerebral injury in this patient population. This is the first study to systematically review and synthetize robust evidence on the relation between cerebrovascular autoregulation and preterm brain injury. This meta-analysis further adds to the existing literature by comparing different cerebrovascular autoregulation measurement techniques. The findings can help to standardize cerebrovascular autoregulation assessment and implement it in clinical practice using large, randomized trials.

Indexed as

Brain InjuriesCerebrovascular CirculationHomeostasisHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureSpectroscopy, Near-Infrared

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.