Term intra-partum asphyxia: an analysis of acute non-specific supportive criteria and non-CNS organ injury

Prediction of encephalopathy in perinatal asphyxia score: reaching the unreached

OBJECTIVES

Neonates who develop moderate to severe encephalopathy following perinatal asphyxia will benefit from therapeutic hypothermia. Current National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) criteria for identifying encephalopathic neonates needing therapeutic hypothermia has high specificity. This results in correctly identifying neonates who have already developed moderate to severe encephalopathy but miss out many potential beneficiaries who progress to develop moderate to severe encephalopathy later. The need is therefore not just to diagnose encephalopathy, but to predict development of encephalopathy and extend the therapeutic benefit for all eligible neonates. The primary objective of the study was to develop and validate the statistical model for prediction of moderate to severe encephalopathy following perinatal asphyxia and compare with current NICHD criteria.

METHODS

The study was designed as prospective observational study. It was carried out in a single center Level 3 perinatal unit in India. Neonates>35 weeks of gestation and requiring resuscitation at birth were included. Levels of resuscitation and blood gas lactate were used to determine the pre-test probability, Thompson score between 3 and 5 h of life was used to determine post-test probability of developing encephalopathy. Primary outcome measure: Validation of Prediction of Encephalopathy in Perinatal Asphyxia (PEPA) score by Holdout method.

RESULTS

A total of 55 babies were included in the study. The PEPA score was validated by Holdout method where the fitted receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) area for the training and test sample were comparable (p=0.758). The sensitivity and specificity of various PEPA scores for prediction of encephalopathy ranged between 74 and 100% in contrast to NICHD criteria which was 42%. PEPA score of 30 had a best combination of sensitivity and specificity of 95 and 89% respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PEPA score has a higher sensitivity than NICHD criteria for prediction of Encephalopathy in asphyxiated neonates.

Death after Birth Asphyxia in the Cooling Era

In asphyxiated newborn infants treated with hypothermia, 31 of 50 (62%) deaths occurred in unstable infants electively extubated before completing hypothermia treatment. Later deaths occurred after consultation with palliative care (13/19) or clinical ethics (6/19) services, suggesting these decisions were challenging and required support, particularly if nutrition and hydration were withdrawn (n = 4).

The Thompson Encephalopathy Score and Short-Term Outcomes in Asphyxiated Newborns Treated With Therapeutic Hypothermia

BACKGROUND

The Thompson encephalopathy score is a clinical score to assess newborns suffering from perinatal asphyxia. Previous studies revealed a high sensitivity and specificity of the Thompson encephalopathy score for adverse outcomes (death or severe disability). Because the Thompson encephalopathy score was developed before the use of therapeutic hypothermia, its value was reassessed.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the association of the Thompson encephalopathy score with adverse short-term outcomes, defined as death before discharge, development of severe epilepsy, or the presence of multiple organ failure in asphyxiated newborns undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.

METHODS

The study period ranged from November 2010 to October 2014. A total of 12 tertiary neonatal intensive care units participated. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the "PharmaCool" multicenter study, an observational cohort study analyzing pharmacokinetics of medication during therapeutic hypothermia. With multiple logistic regression analyses the association of the Thompson encephalopathy scores with outcomes was studied.

RESULTS

Data of 142 newborns were analyzed (male: 86; female: 56). Median Thompson score was 9 (interquartile range: 8 to 12). Median gestational age was 40 weeks (interquartile range 38 to 41), mean birth weight was 3362 grams (standard deviation: 605). All newborns manifested perinatal asphyxia and underwent therapeutic hypothermia. Death before discharge occurred in 23.9% and severe epilepsy in 21.1% of the cases. In total, 59.2% of the patients had multiple organ failure. The Thompson encephalopathy score was not associated with multiple organ failure, but a Thompson encephalopathy score ≥12 was associated with death before discharge (odds ratio: 3.9; confidence interval: 1.3 to 11.2) and with development of severe epilepsy (odds ratio: 8.4; confidence interval: 2.5 to 27.8).

CONCLUSION

The Thompson encephalopathy score is a useful clinical tool, even in cooled asphyxiated newborns. A score ≥12 is associated with adverse outcomes (death before discharge and development of severe epilepsy). The Thompson encephalopathy score is not associated with the development of multiple organ failure.