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- Title
Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
- Authors
Mathew, Joseph L.; Suman Rao, P. N.; Vinayan, K. P.
- Abstract
Summary: In this open-label, randomized controlled trial in seven tertiary neonatal intensive care units in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, infants born at or after 36 weeks of gestation with moderate or severe neonatal encephalo-pathy and a need for continued resuscitation at 5 min of age or an Apgar score of less than 6 at 5 min of age (for babies born in a hospital), or both, or an absence of crying by 5 min of age (for babies born at home), were recruited. In a web-based randomization system, infants were allocated into a group receiving whole body hypothermia (33·5°C) for 72 h using a servo-controlled cooling device, or to usual care (control group), within 6 h of birth. All recruiting sites had facilities for invasive ventilation, cardiovascular support, and access to 3 Tesla MRI scanners and spectroscopy. The primary outcome was a combined endpoint of death or moderate or severe disability at 18–22 months, assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (third edition) and a detailed neurological examination. Analysis was by intention to treat. After exclusions, 202 eligible infants were assigned to the hypothermia group and 206 to the control group. Primary outcome data were available for 195 (97%) of the 202 infants in the hypothermia group and 199 (97%) of the 206 control group infants. 98 (50%) infants in the hypothermia group and 94 (47%) infants in the control group died or had a moderate or severe disability (risk ratio 1·06; 95% CI 0·87–1·30; P=0·55). 84 infants (42%) in the hypothermia group and 63 (31%; P=0·022) infants in the control group died, of whom 72 (36%) and 49 (24%; P=0·0087) died during neonatal hospitalisation. Five serious adverse events were reported: three in the hypothermia group (one hospital readmission relating to pneumonia, one septic arthritis, and one suspected venous thrombosis), and two in the control group (one related to desaturations during MRI and other because of endotracheal tube displacement during transport for MRI). Therapeutic hypothermia did not reduce the combined outcome of death or disability at 18 months after neonatal encephalopathy in low-income and middle-income countries, but significantly increased death alone. The authors conclude that therapeutic hypothermia should not be offered as treatment for neonatal encephalopathy in low-income and middle-income countries, even when tertiary neonatal intensive care facilities are available.
- Subjects
BANGLADESH; SRI Lanka; APGAR score; MIDDLE-income countries; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; INDUCED hypothermia; BRAIN diseases; HYPOTHERMIA; INFECTIOUS arthritis
- Publication
Indian Pediatrics, 2021, Vol 58, Issue 10, p978
- ISSN
0019-6061
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s13312-021-2335-y