The SafeBoosC research program is aimed at the study of the clinical value of non-invasive cerebral oximetry by near-infrared spectroscopy in newborn infants.
Near-infrared spectroscopy is used for tissue oximetry. The brain of the newborn infant is particularly accessible. Cerebral oximetry may be used to tailor the support of respiration and circulation to the individual infant’s needs. This may reduce the risk of death and brain injury, but good evidence is still lacking. The goals for research include large-scale, randomised trials to test the benefits and harms, improved definition of hypoxic thresholds, better understanding the effects of intensive care interventions, as well as calibration among oximeters and improved precision. These goals can be pursued in parallel: