Therapeutic hypothermia for preterm infants 34-35 weeks gestational age with neonatal encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term outcomes and safety of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for neonatal encephalopathy in preterm infants at 34-35 weeks of gestation.

STUDY DESIGN: A matched retrospective cohort study of 20 preterm infants at 34-35 weeks of gestation and 40 infants at 36 weeks of gestation or more who received TH between the years 2015-2021.

RESULT: Short-term outcomes of preterm infants at 34-35 weeks of gestation who received TH were comparable with infants at 36 weeks or more of gestation who received TH regarding seizures, intraventricular hemorrhage, blood transfusions, subcutaneous fat necrosis, brain injury on magnetic resonance imaging, and mortality. These findings were consistent when short-term outcomes were adjusted for birthweight.

CONCLUSION: TH in preterm infants at 34-35 weeks of gestation is feasible and safe in our study population.