Whole-Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) may cause neurodevelopmental deficits and death in infants. The rate of HIE in the U.S. (2 per 1000 live births) has not changed in the past 20 years. Researchers assessed whole-body cooling in a multisite, randomized trial that involved 208 newborns (gestational age, ≥36 weeks) with HIE (defined as either severe acidosis or perinatal complications and resuscitation at birth). Within 6 hours of birth, infants received either usual care (overhead radiant warmers) or whole-body cooling (with water blankets regulated to achieve an esophageal temperature of 33.5^oC) for 72 hours.

Compared with infants who received usual care, those who underwent cooling were significantly less likely to have died or have mode…