Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42313692›Full record

SynthesisNeonatology2026

The Effect of Liberal versus Restrictive Haemoglobin Thresholds on Cerebral Tissue Oxygenation in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Danielle N Bailey, Amelia N Noone, Tara M Crawford, Chad C Andersen, Michael J Stark

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neonatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Danielle N BaileyThe Robinson Research Institute, College of Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Amelia N NooneThe Robinson Research Institute, College of Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Tara M CrawfordThe Robinson Research Institute, College of Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Chad C AndersenThe Robinson Research Institute, College of Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Michael J StarkThe Robinson Research Institute, College of Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, michael.stark@adelaide.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionNear-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is emerging as a promising method of assessing individualized cerebral oxygenation responses to red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. However, the impact of liberal (high) versus restrictive (low) haemoglobin thresholds on transfusion-related changes in cerebral tissue oxygenation (crSO

methodsData were extracted (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) and risk of bias and certainty of evidence reviewed. Included studies reported changes in cerebral oxygenation in preterm infants receiving RBCs in response to reaching either a liberal or restrictive transfusion threshold. A random-effects model was used to determine effect size and 95% confidence for the primary outcome of change in crSO

resultsForty-three full-text articles were assessed for eligibility with 7 studies included for meta-analysis (restrictive threshold: n = 357, liberal threshold: n = 220). crSO

conclusionGreater improvements to cerebral oxygenation occurred in preterm neonates with a restrictive threshold, suggesting enhanced physiological benefit in response to transfusion. However, meaningful clinical conclusions are limited due to low certainty of evidence and considerable inconsistencies across reporting.

Indexed as

Cerebral oxygenationNear-infrared spectroscopyPreterm infantsRed blood cell transfusion

Identifiers

PMID42313692
PMCPMC13441262

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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.