Arterial pressure is not reflective of right ventricular function in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Abstract

to evaluate the correlation of recovery of arterial pressure with physiological recovery among patients with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy undergoing therapeutic hypothermia. At 24 h postnatal age, we compared 53 neonates of whom 22 (41%) were inotrope-treated to those untreated with cardiovascular medications. Inotrope-treated patients had persistent severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and evidence of abnormal brain tissue oxygen delivery, despite recovered arterial pressure. Arterial pressure is not reflective of RV function and the need for inotropic agents may be reflective of abnormal brain tissue oxygen delivery.