Abstract
The efficacy of induced hypothermia to treat hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term infants has been evaluated in 6 multicenter randomized controlled trials. Meta-analysis of these trials shows that hypothermia in the first 6 hours after moderately severe HIE reduced the risk rate of death or neurological impairment at 18 months of age; risk ratio (RR): 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71 to 0.93, p=0.002); risk difference -0.11 (95% CI: -0.18 to -0.04), with a number needed to treat of 9 (95% CI: 5-25). It also showed that treatment with hypothermia was associated with an increased rate of intact survival; RR: 1.53 (95% CI: 1.22-1.93, p<0.001); risk difference: 0.12 (95% CI: 0.06-0.18), with a number need to treat of 8 (95% CI: 5-17). We developed a national protocol using a simplified method of cooling. This protocol will hopefully lead to a widespread implementation of induced hypothermia in different settings within Saudi Arabia.
Article Type
Review
First Page
18
Last Page
26
Recommended Citation
AlKharfy, Turki M.
(2013)
"Induced hypothermia to treat neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Review of literature with meta-analysis and development of national protocol,"
Neurosciences: Vol. 18:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17712/1658-3183.1987