Total Body Cooling In Preterm Infants

OBJECTIVE: to examine the evidence in relation to preterm birth and high environmental temperature. BACKGROUND: this review was conducted against a background of global warming and an escalation in the frequency and severity of hot weather together with a rising preterm birth rate. METHODS: electronic health databases such as: SCOPUS, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and Maternity and Infant Care were searched for research articles, that examined preterm birth and high environmental temperature...

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a significant cause of mortality and long-term disability in late preterm and term infants. Mild therapeutic hypothermia to a rectal temperature of 34±0.5°C initiated as soon as possible within the first 6 h of life decreases mortality and severe long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities in infants with moderate HIE who are ≥36 weeks' gestational age. There are minimal side effects, and the incidence of disability in survivors is not increased. Infants with severe encephalopathy are less likely to benefit from treatment...

INTRODUCTION: Randomised studies have demonstrated the efficacy of hypothermia for the treatment of perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term or late preterm infants. In August 2006, the Neonatology Department at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, introduced total body cooling for infants born at term with HIE. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study comprises data from medical records of newborn children born with HIE during a period of 32 months...