Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy Grade Research Articles

Quantitative EEG features during the first day correlate to clinical outcome in perinatal asphyxia.

To assess whether computational electroencephalogram (EEG) measures during the first day of life correlate to clinical outcomes in infants with perinatal asphyxia with or without hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We analyzed four-channel EEG monitoring data from 91 newborn infants after perinatal asphyxia. Altogether 42 automatically computed amplitude- and synchrony-related EEG features were extracted as 2-hourly average at very early (6 h) and early (24 h) postnatal age; they were correlated to the severity of HIE in all infants, and to four clinical outcomes available in a subcohort of 40 newborns: time to full oral feeding (nasogastric tube NGT), neonatal brain MRI, Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) at three months, and Griffiths Scales at two years. At 6 h, altogether 14 (33%) EEG features correlated significantly to the HIE grade ([r]= 0.39-0.61, p < 0.05), and one feature correlated to NGT ([r]= 0.50). At 24 h, altogether 13 (31%) EEG features correlated significantly to the HIE grade ([r]= 0.39-0.56), six features correlated to NGT ([r]= 0.36-0.49) and HINE ([r]= 0.39-0.61), while no features correlated to MRI or Griffiths Scales. Our results show that the automatically computed measures of early cortical activity may provide outcome biomarkers for clinical and research purposes. The early EEG background and its recovery after perinatal asphyxia reflect initial severity of encephalopathy and its clinical recovery, respectively. Computational EEG features from the early hours of life show robust correlations to HIE grades and to early clinical outcomes. Computational EEG features may have potential to be used as cortical activity biomarkers in early hours after perinatal asphyxia.

Umbilical artery eucapnic pH to assess fetal well-being

Umbilical artery gas results help obstetricians assess fetal well-being during labor and guide screening decisions on eligibility for therapeutic hypothermia (ie, whole-body or head cooling). The accuracy of results, especially for the base deficit on arterial cord gas analysis, in predicting brain injury is questioned. A novel biomarker specifically calculated for fetal acid-base physiology and response to asphyxia-neonatal eucapnic pH as a marker of neonatal metabolic acidosis-has the potential to be an accurate predictor of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We aimed to compare false-negative rates of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy for umbilical artery pH, base deficit, and neonatal eucapnic pH in assessing fetal acid-base balance as a marker of fetal well-being and predicting acute brain injury. This is a retrospective single-center cohort study of newborns ≥ 35 weeks of gestation diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We compared false-negative rates for any grade of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy using unilateral paired chi-square statistical analysis based on cutoff values for umbilical artery pH ≤7.00, base deficit ≥16 mmol/L, base deficit ≥12 mmol/L and neonatal eucapnic pH ≤7.14. We performed an analysis of variance between umbilical artery pH, base deficit, and neonatal eucapnic pH for each hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy grade. We included 113 newborns. False-negative rate for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was significantly higher for base deficit <16 mmol/L (n=78/113; 69.0%) than <12 mmol/L (n=46/113; 40.7%), pH >7.00 (n=41/113; 36.3%), or neonatal eucpanic pH >7.14 (n=35/113; 31.0%) (P<.0001). All true-positive cases were identified using only umbilical artery pH and neonatal eucapnic pH. Base deficit ≥16 or ≥12 mmol/L did not add any value in identifying newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy when using umbilical artery pH and neonatal eucapnic pH. No association emerged between any marker and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy severity grading. Our findings support the accuracy of neonatal eucapnic pH to assess fetal well-being during labor and to improve predictive performance for acute brain injury. Neonatal eucpanic pH, in addition to umbilical artery pH, may be a viable alternative in identifying newborns at risk for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Correlation analysis between the amniotic fluid contamination and clinical grading of neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy and biomarkers of brain damage

BackgroundAmniotic fluid contamination (AFC) is a risk factor for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE); however, the correlation between AFC level and the incidence and clinical grading of HIE, in addition to relevant biomarkers of brain damage, have not been assessed.MethodsThis single-center observational study included 75 neonates with moderate-to-severe HIE. The neonates with HIE were divided into four subgroups according to the AFC level: normal amniotic fluid with HIE group (NAF-HIE), I°AFC with HIE group (I°AFC-HIE), II°AFC with HIE group (II°AFC-HIE), and III°AFC with HIE group (III°AFC-HIE). The control groups consisted of 35 healthy neonates. The clinical grading of neonatal HIE was performed according to the criteria of Sarnat and Sarnat. Serum tau protein and S100B were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Correlations of serum tau protein and S100B were evaluated using the Pearson correlation analysis.Results(1) The incidence of neonatal HIE in the NAF-HIE group was 20 cases (26. 7%), I°AFC-HIE was 13 cases (17.3%), II°AFC-HIE was 10 cases (13.3%), and III°AFC-HIE was 32 cases (42. 7%). The incidence of moderate-to-severe HIE in the I°–III°AFC-HIE groups was 73.3% (55/75). (2) In 44 cases with severe HIE, 26 cases (59.1%) occurred in the III°AFC-HIE group, which had a significantly higher incidence of severe HIE than moderate HIE (p < 0.05). In NAF-HIE and I°AFC-HIE groups, the incidence of moderate HIE was 45.2% and 29.0%, respectively, which was higher than that of severe HIE (X2 = 9.2425, p < 0.05; X2 = 5.0472, p < 0.05, respectively). (3) Serum tau protein and S100B levels in the HIE groups were significantly higher than in the control group (all p < 0.05), and were significantly higher in the III°AFC-HIE group than in the NAF-HIE and I°AFC-HIE groups (all p < 0.05). (4) Serum tau protein and S100B levels in the severe HIE group were significantly higher in the moderate HIE group (all p < 0.05). (5) Serum tau protein and S100B levels were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.7703, p < 0.0001).ConclusionAmong children with severe HIE, the incidence of III°AFC was higher, and the levels of serum tau protein and S100B were increased. AFC level might be associated with HIE grading.

Study to Determine Correlation of Elevated Serum Creatine Kinase-Muscle Brain Fraction (CK-MB) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Levels with Asphyxia Neonatorum and Severity of Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy

Background: Asphyxia Neonatorum is a significant contributor to neonatal mortality and morbidity. Its burden in resource-poor countries prompts the development of investigative modalities that offers accuracy and affordability. Objective: To determine that serum CK-MB and LDH estimation could be markers of Asphyxia neonatorum, and the elevated levels directly correlate with the grade of severity of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) as defined by Levine. Methods: In this single-center, non-interventional study, we included 100 asphyxiated neonates from level III NICU in the case group, and 100 apparently healthy neonates from the post-natal ward admitted over 18 months at RCSM Government Medical College and CPR Hospital, Kolhapur. 100 healthy neonates were the control group. Results: The median 8-hr serum CK-MB in the case group was 74 U/L and in the control group as 63.5 U/L with P&lt;0.001. Whereas the median serum LDH level in the case group was 597 U/L and the control group was 383.5 U/L with P&lt;0.001. Raised LDH (cut off 580 U/L) had 100% specificity, while CK-MB (cut off 92.6 U/L) had 100% specificity for asphyxia. Amongst the neonates with HIE (n=60), 56% had raised CK-MB (cut off 92.6) and 80% had raised LDH (cut off 580 U/L). 100% of neonates with HIE Grade III (n=9) had elevated CK-MB and LDH levels. Conclusion: The present study concluded that CK-MB and LDH as biochemical markers can be utilitarian in the diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia.

ASSOCIATED FACTORS AND IMMEDIATE OUTCOME IN BIRTH ASPHYXIATED TERM NEONATES ADMITTED IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN TRIBAL REGION OF INDIA-AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Objectives: The objective is to study the associated risk factors and outcomes of birth asphyxia (BA). Methods: The study involved 240 neonates of both genders who were admitted to the NICU of the Department of Pediatrics at NAMO MERI and SVBCH Hospital. Relevant information such as neonatal information, maternal information, and problems during pregnancy or labor noted and analyzed. Results: Among the cases and controls, the male-to-female ratio was 1.3:1 and 1.09:1, respectively. The incidence of meconium-stained liquor was higher in some cases, and these infants required longer resuscitation compared to controls (p&lt;0.0001). Maternal risk factors such as hypertension, antepartum hemorrhage, and prolonged second stage of labor were significantly associated with BA (p&lt;0.05). In addition, BA was significantly associated with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), convulsions, and apnea (p&lt;0.05). Top of FormBottom of FormThere was a significant correlation between the duration of resuscitation and the grade of HIE in asphyxiated babies (p&lt;0.05). A severe form of HIE was developed in cases with a longer duration of resuscitation. The duration of resuscitation was longer in patients who were delivered in either a primary health center or home compared to a tertiary care hospital (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Effective post-delivery resuscitation, additional basic steps, and training health workers and a skilled person at every birth can help reduce the occurrence of BA and its complications in resource-limited peripheral systems. This study highlights importance of maternal risk factor assessment, prompt resuscitation.

Umbilical Cord Milking in Nonvigorous Infants: A Cluster-Randomized Crossover Trial

ABSTRACT Approximately 6 million infants each year require resuscitation at birth. Requiring this intervention is associated with higher risk of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy, attention-deficit or hyperactive disorder, autism, neonatal stroke, and death. In infants needing resuscitation, optimal cord management is essential to enhance placental transfusion. Delayed cord clamping (DCC) is used to enable placental transfusion in vigorous infants, but in nonvigorous infants—those who are limp, pale, or have minimal or no breathing—early cord clamping (ECC) is recommended. Another intervention for nonvigorous infants requiring resuscitation is umbilical cord milking (UCM). UCM can improve heart rate, blood pressure, urine output, cerebral oxygenation, and hemoglobin levels, and prevent anemia. In addition, it can achieve placental transfusion without delaying resuscitation as with DCC and can be completed as quickly as ECC. No harm has been observed in studies involving UCM. Despite these benefits, studies are lacking on optimal cord management strategies in nonvigorous infants requiring resuscitation. The aim of this study was to examine whether UCM reduces admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) versus ECC in nonvigorous newborns. This was a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover trial conducted at 10 hospitals in the United States, Canada, and Poland. Included were viable infants delivered between January 2019 and May 2021 who were between 35 and 42 weeks of gestation and nonvigorous at birth. Nonvigorous was defined as poor tone, pallor, or lack of breathing in the first 15 seconds after birth. Excluded were infants with major congenital or chromosomal anomalies, cardiac defects except small ventricular septal defects, complete placental abruption or cutting through the placenta at delivery, monochorionic multiples, cord anomalies, and the presence of nonreducible nuchal cord. Hospitals were randomized 1:1 to UCM or ECC in period 1 from January 2019 to January 2020, then crossed over to the other intervention during period 2 from February 2020 to May 2021. The primary outcome was NICU admission related to the intervention in the first 24 hours of life. The safety outcome was HIE. A total of 1730 infants were included in the analysis with 872 in the UCM group and 858 in the ECC group. The difference in the frequency of NICU admission was not statistically significant, with 23% in the UCM group and 28% in the ECC group (odds ratio [OR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41–1.14). In comparison to the ECC group, UCM was associated with lower odds of abnormal 1-minute Apgar scores (Apgar ≤3, 30% vs 34%; crude OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56–0.92), receipt of cardiorespiratory support in the delivery room (61% vs 71%; modeled OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33–0.99), and therapeutic hypothermia (3% vs 4%; crude OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.33–0.99). In addition, there was no significant difference in any grade of HIE, although moderate-to-severe HIE was less common in the UCM group (1% vs 3%; crude OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.24–0.96). The UCM group also had increased hemoglobin (modeled mean difference, 0.68 g/dL; 95% CI, 0.31–1.05) and peak serum bilirubin (modeled mean difference, 1.4 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.5–2.2). In nonvigorous newborns needing resuscitation, UCM was not associated with a reduction in NICU admissions compared with ECC. UCM was associated with a decrease in cardiorespiratory support in the delivery room, fewer cases of moderate-to-severe HIE, lower use of therapeutic hypothermia, and higher hemoglobin.

Trends of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the United States, 2010 to 2018

ABSTRACT Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the most common causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It has an overall mortality rate ranging from 15% to 25%, with up to 50% of survivors developing long-term neurological disabilities. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has been the only effective treatment for moderate to severe HIE in neonates ≥35 weeks of gestation. Infants with mild HIE previously had been excluded from studies, but a recent study reported approximately 16% developed a disability at 18 to 22 months of age. Despite treatment, up to 29% of neonates with HIE still develop adverse outcomes. To decrease the prevalence of neonatal HIE, prevention is key and a better understanding of associated maternal, perinatal, and neonatal risk factors is needed. The aim of this study was to assess trends of HIE prevalence and use of TH, mortality, and clinical neonatal outcomes. This was a cross-sectional analysis using National Inpatient Sample data sets from 2010 to 2018. Included were newborn infants diagnosed with HIE or asphyxia, who were ≥35 weeks of gestation and had a birth weight ≥2500 g. Excluded were those with congenital heart disease, congenital central nervous system anomalies, congenital lung anomalies, congenital abdominal wall defects, gastroschisis or omphalocele, multiple congenital anomalies, common syndromes, and chromosomal disorders. Of the 32,180,617 infants included in the analysis, 31,249,100 were term infants (&gt;35 weeks). The prevalence of all degrees of HIE for term infants was approximately 0.1%. There was a modest increase from 0.093% during the years 2010 and 2012 up to 0.097% during 2016 and 2018. Approximately 21% of cases were managed with TH. More infants with moderate HIE received TH than those with severe HIE (29.9% vs 19.9%; P &lt; 0.01). Fewer infants with mild or unspecified HIE received TH than those with severe HIE (17.7% and 17.3%, respectively; P &lt; 0.01). From 2010 to 2018, the use of TH increased overall and within each grade of HIE (P &lt; 0.01). The mortality rate was higher in term infants with all degrees of asphyxia than the general population (10.8% vs 0.06%; P &lt; 0.01). Over time, the mortality rate in term infants decreased from 12.3% in 2010 to 8.3% in 2018 (P &lt; 0.01). The analysis included 931,517 were late preterm infants (35–36 weeks of gestation). The combined prevalence for all grades of HIE was 0.23% and did not change significantly over the years. Approximately 21% of late preterm infants were managed with TH. More infants with moderate HIE received TH than those with severe HIE (26.9% vs 20.1%). Fewer infants with mild HIE received TH (13.2%), and no significant difference was observed in infants with unspecified HIE compared with those with severe HIE (18.7% vs 20.1%). The use of TH increased has increased in late preterm infants over the years. The strongest factors associated with HIE were placental infarction or insufficiency, placental abruption, and cord prolapse. Female infant sex, maternal Hispanic ethnicity, and maternal Asian race were associated with lower risk of HIE. In conclusion, HIE prevalence remained essentially the same at 1 per 1000 live births. Use of TH increased, and mortality decreased over time. The strongest factors associated with HIE were placental factors.

The association between undetected small-for-gestational age and abnormal admission cardiotocography: A registry-based study.

To assess the association between undetected small-for-gestational age (SGA) fetuses and abnormal admission cardiotocography (admCTG) in a low-risk population. An observational study. Four hospitals in Stockholm-Gotland, Sweden. A cohort of 127 461 deliveries between 1 February 2012 and 15 June 2020. This cohort was linked to the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register. Pregnancies were designated as high or low risk at the time of admission to the labour ward according to pre-defined risk measures. SGA was defined as a birthweight at or below the tenth centile and at or below the third centile for gestational age. The main outcome was the proportion of undetected SGA by admCTG (normal or abnormal). The secondary outcome was a composite severe adverse neonatal outcome for fetuses born less than 6 hours after admission (Apgar score <4 at 5 minutes, hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy grade of 2-3, neonatal seizures and neonatal death). The rate of abnormal admCTG was 4.9%. The proportion of SGA at or below the tenth centile was higher in the abnormal admCTG group than in the normal admCTG group, 18.6% versus 9.7% (odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.9-2.3). Abnormal admCTG and SGA (≤10th) was associated with a more than 20-fold increased risk of an adverse outcome compared with normal admCTG and non-SGA (adjusted odds ratio 23.7, 95% CI 9.8-57.3). The latter had a risk of 1/2000 of an adverse outcome. In this low-risk population, undetected SGA fetuses were more prone to having abnormal admCTG and had a substantially higher risk of severe adverse neonatal outcomes.

Association of Umbilical Cord Lactate Levels and Capillary Ph with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Neonates Born with Intrapartum Asphyxia

Objective: To estimate the association of umbilical cord lactate levels and pH with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in neonates born with intrapartum asphyxia.&#x0D; Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of study: Pediatrics Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from February 2021 to April 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: The study was conducted on neonates born with suspicion of intrapartum asphyxia at our hospital. Umbilical cord lactate levels and capillary pH were performed within the first 30 minutes of birth. Then, neonates were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and followed up for three days to look for the presence and severity of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). Association was ascertained between raised lactate levels and negative base deficit with HypoxicIschemic Encephalopathy.&#x0D; Results: A total of 1000 neonates were included in the final analysis. From 1000 neonates with intrapartum asphyxia, 790(79%) did not develop any grade of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy within the first three days of birth, while 210(21%) developed either Grade-I, II or III encephalopathies. Raised serum lactate and base deficit were significantly associated with the presence and severity of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonates born with intrapartum asphyxia (p-value&lt;0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion: Both umbilical artery lactate levels and capillary pH performed within the first 30 minutes of birth were associated with the presence and severity of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in neonates included in our study. These results favour lactate levels as a predictor of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy and Its Associated Neurodevelopmental Outcomes During the First Two Years of Life: A Retrospective Study in Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and factors associated with neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and its neurodevelopmental outcomes. We conductedretrospective case-control researchto investigate the clinical and labour-related risk factors for HIE. In addition, a single-centre cohort study was conducted on infants with HIE to describe their neurodevelopment from birth to 24 months. For this investigation, cases with a diagnosis of HIE who were born at King Abdullah Children's Specialist Hospital (KASCH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 2015 and 2019 were identified and matched with controls from the same facility (1:4). Each case's clinical information was extracted using electronic medical records. In addition,24-monthfollow-up HIE cases were included in a cohort study to describe their neurodevelopmental outcomes. The sample includes 60 infants diagnosed with HIE and 234 infants serving as controls, with a mean gestational age of 38.8 weeks (SD 1.6)and a predominance of males (56.4%). Around one-thirdof the HIE cases (36.6%) had moderate HIE (stage 2), whereas 35.1% of infants had severe HIE (stage 3), according to Sarnat staging. Compared to the control group, children with HIE were twice as likely to be born to mothers with maternal comorbidities and more likely to have prepartum and intrapartum complications. A 24-month follow-up of neurodevelopmental outcomes for HIE babies revealed that approximately 24% exhibited delays in gross motor skill development, 22% in fine motor skill development, 33% in language skill development, and 22% in social skill development. In the HIE group, maternal comorbidities and prepartumor intrapartum complications were more common. The severity grade of HIE can be used to predict neurodevelopmental consequences. Enhancing patient care and rehabilitation requires a minimum of 24 months of neurodevelopmental follow-up.

A comparative study of liver function test between normal neonates and neonates with different stages of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in a district medical college of Eastern India

Background: Hepatic dysfunction is a known complication in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Aims and Objectives: We conducted this study to compare hepatic function between normal and asphyxiated newborn and whether the changes in liver function vary with the grade of HIE. Materials and Methods: This observational analytical cross-sectional study was done in a rural medical college of eastern India for 1 year with 51 HIE (17 each in HIE I, II, and III group) and 51 healthy neonates as control. Biochemical parameters of liver function such as alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total serum bilirubin (TSB), serum albumin, and prothrombin time (PT) were measured in both groups between 48 and 72 h of birth. Results: We found that TSB, liver enzymes, and PT ware significantly elevated and serum albumin reduced in HIE group in comparison to control group. However, TSB, PT, and serum albumin does not differ much among three stages of HIE. By contrast, liver enzymes increases significantly among three stages of HIE, and also, there is significant difference in ALT, AST, and ALP between survivor and non-survivor of HIE babies. Conclusion: Hence, liver function test may serve as an useful early marker of perinatal asphyxia when the history of birth asphyxia is lacking and it can also be used as a prognostic indicator as there is more rise of liver enzymes from low to high grade of HIE and from survived to expired HIE babies.

Development of an EEG artefact detection algorithm and its application in grading neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study is to develop and evaluate algorithms for neonatal EEG artefact detection. The secondary aim is to subsequently assess its application as a post-processing routine for automated EEG grading of background abnormalities in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods: A database of neonatal EEG with expertly annotated artefacts was used to train and validate machine learning models to automatically identify EEG epochs containing artefacts. Three approaches were developed and compared, specifically, a simple threshold-based digital signal processing (DSP) method, a machine learning method, and a deep learning method. The artefact detection classifier was subsequently assessed as a post-processing tool to assist in the application of automated EEG grading of HIE. A new deep learning model for grading the EEG was developed by training an existing network on a large, multi-centre dataset. The artefact detection algorithm was integrated into the grading algorithm through a post-processing routine. Results: Using a database containing 19 h of EEG from 51 patients with per-channel and per-second annotations of artefacts, a deep learning convolutional neural network solution achieved best performance for artefact detection with an area under the operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.84, compared to an AUC of 0.68 and 0.82 for a DSP method and a random-kernel ridge-classifier model, respectively. The automated EEG grading algorithm was trained and tested on 653 h of EEG from 181 patients, which achieved an accuracy of 82.8 % (95 % CI: 80.5 % to 85.2 %). The percentage of detected artefacts in the misclassified epochs was not statistically different (p = 0.568) compared to that of correctly classified epochs. Using artefact detection, a small number of epochs were removed from grading, resulting in a minor increase in accuracy for the EEG grading algorithm from 82.6 % to 83.6 %. Conclusion: Deep learning methods achieved highest classification performance for neonatal EEG artefact detection, although a ridge classifier using random kernels achieved comparable performance without significant parameter tuning or training time. The inclusion of artefact detection in automated EEG grading does not significantly improve accuracy in our curated dataset, but does allow for a quality measure to be presented alongside the automated EEG grades which may increase user confidence in its real-world application.

Acute Renal Failure in Newborns with Birth Asphyxia

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is one of the common causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. It can affect almost all the body organs and most frequently affected organs are kidneys. Acute Renal Failure is the commonest renal complication, manifested by changes in urine output and blood chemistries.&#x0D; Aims: To evaluate the renal function in asphyxiated newborns.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted, from August 2021 to February 2022, on 95 term neonates admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur for birth asphyxia as per World Health Organization definition. All neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy were staged by Sarnat and Sarnat staging. After 48 hours of life, blood sample was sent for investigations. Urine output was monitored and neonates were managed according to the hospital protocol.&#x0D; Results: Male to female ratio was M:F 1.90:1. Percentage of acute renal failure was higher in babies with higher Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy grades. It was seen in 12% in Grade I, 82% in Grade II and 100% in Grade III. Renal failure had significant association with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy staging(p&lt;0.05).The means of serum creatinine significantly increased with the increase in Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy grades (p&lt;0.05). Mean serum creatinine among Grade I, Grade II and Grade III newborns were 0.9±0.44, 2.2±.93and 2.9±0.38 mg/dl respectively. Mean urinary output significantly decreased as the grades of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy increased (p&lt;0.05) with mean urine output 1.5±0.38, 1.3±0.53and 1.1±0.39 ml/kg/hour respectively in Grade I, Grade II and Grade III.&#x0D; Conclusion: Neonates with higher grades of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy had higher values of serum creatinine. Urine output decreased as the grading of asphyxia increased

Role of cerebral artery Doppler velocimetry in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Background: Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain injury that prevents adequate blood flow to the infant’s brain. As compared to MRI and CT scan, neurosonogram is easily available, cost effective and easily reproducible, and is not associated with any radiation exposure or sedation. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the role of neurosonogram changes in grey scale and Doppler findings in evaluation of HIE.Methods: It was a hospital-based case control study conducted over a period of one year in which 35 full term neonates born after 37 weeks of gestation with birth weight more than 2.5 kg and clinical evidence of HIE based on Sarnat and Sarnat classification were selected as cases. The 35 neonates other than HIE were matched by age and sex with the cases within 72 hours of birth were labelled as control.Results: On doppler USG both resistive index (RI) and pulsatilitiy index (PI) in anterior cerebral artery (ACA) as well as middle cerebral artery (MCA) were significantly lower in HIE subjects compare to control group while peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end diastolic velocity (EDV) were significantly higher in HIE subjects. There was significant association of RI, PI and EDV with severity of HIE.Conclusions: Spectral doppler imaging has very high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis as well as grading of HIE. Therefore, it is recommended that in all neonates with clinical suspicion of HIE, neurosonogram along with spectral doppler of cranial arteries should be done for evaluation of HIE.

Neonatal Morbidity Patterns and Admission Outcomes: A Cross Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan

Objective: To determine the neonatal mortality and ascertain the disease patterns at neonatal ward in a tertiary care hospital&#x0D; Material and Methods: &#x0D; Design: Hospital based cross sectional study.&#x0D; Participants: Two thousand, two hundred and seventy five neonates were registered using retrospective data from 1st January 2020 to 31st Dec 2020. We recorded gender, birth weight, cause of admission, and admission outcome. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel data spread sheet.&#x0D; Results: There were 2275 patients registered from CPDR (complete patient data record register) from 1st January 2020 to 31st Dec 2020. The mean birth weight was 2.35 kg, with lowest birth weight of 0.9kg and highest birth weight of 4.8kg (SD 0.8 and SE 0.01, CI 0.025). Out of 2175 admitted neonates 506 (23.2%) died, 1250 (57.4%) were discharged after desired improvement, most common presenting complaint and cause of admission was HIE grade 1 , followed by Sepsis, 418 (18.5%), 380(16.9%), respectively.&#x0D; Conclusions: Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy grade I is the most common morbidity pattern in our study, the mortality rate was observed very high, indicators of birth weight were also poor. There is a great need for improvement of antenatal care for mothers to enhance different measures of newborn welfare and wellbeing.

The Value of Arterial Spin Labeling Imaging in the Classification and Prognostic Evaluation of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between cerebral blood flow (CBF) values and neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), the relationship between early CBF value changes and the prognosis of neonatal HIE, and the consistency between the clinical grading and magnetic resonance (MR) grading of HIE. Forty neonates with HIE were scanned using the three-dimensional arterial spin labeling (ASL) sequencing of the cranial Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These newborns were classified as having mild, moderate and severe HIE, according to the clinical grading, and as being normal or having mild, moderate, or severe HIE, according to the MRI grading. Then, the consistency of these two grading systems was compared. Afterwards, the differences in the CBF values of neonates in groups with mild, moderate and severe HIE were compared. In addition, these neonates were grouped according to their NBNA scores. A score of ≥35 was considered a good prognosis, while a score of ≤35 was considered a poor prognosis. The differences in CBF values between these two groups were compared, and the correlation between the CBF values and NBNA scores was determined. There was a strong consistency between the evaluation results for the clinical grading and MR grading (kappa value = 0.672, P<0.001). The differences in CBF values for the basal ganglia (BG) area and thalamus, and the differences in NBNA scores for groups with mild, moderate, or severe HIE were statistically significant (P<0.05). The differences between the poor prognosis group and the good prognosis group, in terms of the CBF values for the BG area and thalamus, and the NBNA scores were statistically significant (P<0.05). The CBF values in the BG region and thalamus were closely and negatively correlated with the NBNA scores. Early CBF values in the BG area and thalamus can objectively and visually reflect the severity of the HIE, and be used to predict the outcome of functional brain damage, allowing early neuroprotective treatment to be initiated. The higher the perfusion in the BG region and thalamus, the lower the NBNA score, and the worse the prognosis would likely be. ASL combined with the NBNA score provides a more comprehensive classification for HIE and a more accurate assessment of the clinical prognosis, providing more medical imaging information for early clinical treatment.

The Neuroprotective Efficacy of Postnatal Magnesium Sulfate in Term or Near-Term Infants With Moderate-to-Severe Birth Asphyxia.

BackgroundIn Pakistan, the neonatal mortality rate is 41 per 1,000 live births and birth asphyxia is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity. The goal of this study was to determine whether postnatal magnesium sulfate therapy can improve short- and long-term neurological outcomes in term or near-term neonates with moderate-to-severe birth asphyxia.MethodologyThis prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Neonatology Department of the Children’s Hospital & The Institute of Child Health, Lahore. A total of 62 neonates (31 in each group) were randomized to receive either three doses of magnesium sulfate infusion at 250 mg/kg per dose, 24 hours apart (treatment group), or three doses of injection 10% distilled water infusion at 3 mL/kg, 24 hours apart (placebo group). Both groups received similar supportive care. The neurodevelopmental assessment was done at six months of age using the ShaMaq Developmental Inventory.ResultsDemographic data such as gestational age, mean weight, age at presentation, gender, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy grade, mode of delivery, and the presence of seizures at presentation were comparable between both groups. In the magnesium sulfate group, statistically significant results were seen in terms of early seizure control (p = 0.001), early initiation of feed (p = 0.002), and shorter duration of hospital stay (p = 0.003). Moreover, the magnesium sulfate group had lower mortality compared to the control group, though it was not statistically significant (p = 0.390). There was no significant difference in terms of cranial ultrasound findings between the two groups (p = 0.783) at the time of discharge. Regarding the neurodevelopmental delay, there was no significant difference between the magnesium sulfate and control groups (p = 0.535).ConclusionsPostnatal magnesium sulfate treatment improves short-term neurologic outcomes at discharge in term or near-term neonates with moderate-to-severe perinatal asphyxia. However, no difference was noted in the neurodevelopmental outcome at six months.

Role of Intravenous Magnesium Sulphate in Term Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) in a Low-income Country: A Randomised Clinical Trial.

To determine the effects of magnesium sulphate in term neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in reducing mortality and morbidity. Randomised clinical trial. Department of Neonatology, Services Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan from April to December 2019. Term babies (inborn or outborn), fulfilling the operational definition of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, reaching within 6 hours of delivery in Nursery Department of Pediatric Medicine Unit-II, Services Hospital, Lahore, were included. Sarnat score was used for staging the severity of HIE. Cases were administered magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) as intravenous infusion. Rest of the management was similar for cases and controls. Mortality was defined as death due to birth asphyxia; whereas, morbidity was assessed by comparing the following at discharge: the grade of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, presence and frequency of seizures, duration of seizures, ability to suck feed and neurological problems such as abnormalities of muscle tone and neonatal reflexes. Babies with prematurity, dysmorphism comorbidities or arriving after 6 hours of birth, were excluded. Chi-square test was used for comparison; and p value <0.05 was considered significant. Gender, mode of delivery, mode of resuscitation at birth, major risk factors (prolonged labour, premature rupture of membranes, presence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid) were comparable in both groups. The duration of seizures, ability to suck feed and presence of neurological problems at discharge were significantly better in magnesium sulphate group as compared to control group. Magnesium sulphate is better in establishing earlier suck feed and reducing the duration of seizures and neurological problems in babies with birth asphyxia. Key Words: Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, Magnesium sulphate, Outcome, Term, Low income country.

Measuring the impact of cardiotocograph decision support software on neonatal outcomes: A propensity score-matched observational study.

This study follows the 2017 UK INFANT Collaborative Group RCT, which compared neonatal outcomes with and without the use of the INFANT cardiotocograph decision support system for over 46000 patients in labour. The original trial failed to demonstrate a significant improvement to neonatal outcomes; however, the study design was subject to methodological critique. This Australian retrospective cohort study aimed to report perinatal outcomes before and after the introduction of INFANT decision support software for cardiotocograph use in labour. The study cohort was divided into two equivalent 18-month epochs, before and after the introduction of INFANT-Guardian® CTG decision support system. Propensity score matching analysis was undertaken to balance pre- and post-implementation groups by baseline covariates. The matched cohort included 11154 public-funded women between November 2016 and 2019, with a singleton live fetus ≥34+0weeks, being induced or in spontaneous labour. The main outcome measures were: a composite measure of serious adverse neonatal outcome comprising of one or more of: admission to intensive care nursery >48h, Apgar <4 at 5min, cord arterial pH <7.0, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy grade 2 or 3, therapeutic hypothermia, neonatal death. The incidence of the composite primary outcome was significantly lower following implementation of INFANT (0.57% vs. 1.00%; OR 0.57, 95%CI 0.37-0.88; P=0.01). A significant reduction in nursery admission >48h was also observed (0.05% vs. 0.30%; OR 0.18, 95%CI 0.05-0.60; P=0.002). INFANT software is associated with a reduction in serious adverse neonatal outcomes, without increasing the rate of operative delivery.

Evaluation of perinatal hypoxic encephalopathy with advanced MR sequences

Perinatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) among important causes of neurological morbidity and mortality in full-term neonates. Identifying ischemic injury clinically usually is difficult in the immediate postnatal period, nonspecific clinical features are present and consid-erations regarding initiation of active life preserving therapies are needed. MR imaging is the most sensitive and specific imaging tech-nique available for the assessment of perinatal birth asphyxia related brain injury in term-born neonates. This study investigates the utility of MR spectroscopy peak ratios, ADC values along with conventional MRI. To compare the association of encephalopathy following hypoxia in term neonates with proton MRS ratios and ADC values. Conventional MRI (T1 and T2) along with DWI followed by MR Spectroscopy was done in 25 term neonates with clinical and neurological features of en-cephalopathy following perinatal asphyxia. MRS peak ratios, DWI with ADC values and conventional MRI findings were compared with each grade of HIE. Among 25 patients suspected cases of hypoxic enceph-alopathy, 15 patients had early positive conventional MR findings, 16 patients had late positive conventional MR findings, 19 patients had positive DWI, and 22 patients had positive MRS with high lac-tate/choline and lactate/NAA ratio. Higher association was found be-tween spectroscopy findings and hypoxic ischemic injury compared to MR imaging and ADC. The combination of MRS, DWI with ADC values and conventional MRI may assist in localizing and predicting the severi-ty of ischemic injury in HIE patients.