Cooling for newborns with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Newborn animal and human pilot studies suggest that mild hypothermia following peripartum hypoxia-ischaemia in newborn infants may reduce neurological sequelae, without adverse effects. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether therapeutic hypothermia in encephalopathic asphyxiated newborn infants reduces mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental disability, without clinically important side effects. SEARCH STRATEGY: The standard search strategy of the Neonatal Review Group as outlined in the Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2003) was used. Randomised controlled trials evaluating therapeutic hypothermia in term newborns with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy were identified by searching the Oxf..