Therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy should not be discontinued in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of death and disability in children. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has become a standard of care for newborn infants who have sustained hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) due to perinatal asphyxia. There is compelling evidence to support this approach. A Cochrane systematic review of 11 prospective randomised controlled trials including 1 505 newborns showed that TH started within 6 hours of birth in infants with HIE significantly decreased mortality and neurodevelopmental disability in survivors.