Asphyxiated Neonates Treated with Hypothermia: Birth Place Matters

Variations in care of neonates during therapeutic hypothermia: call for care practice bundle implementation

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the gold-standard treatment for moderate and severe neonatal encephalopathy (NE). Care during TH has implications for long-term outcomes. Outcome variability exists among neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Canada, but care variations are not understood well. This study examines variations in care practices for neonates with NE treated with TH in NICUs across Canada.

METHODS

A non-anonymous, web-based questionnaire was emailed to tertiary NICUs in Canada providing TH for NE to assess care practices during the first days of life and neurodevelopmental follow-up.

RESULTS

Ninety-two percent (24/26) responded. Centres followed national guidelines regarding the use of the modified Sarnat score to assess the initial severity of NE, the need to initiate TH within the first 6 h of birth, and the importance of follow-up. However, other practices varied, including ventilation mode, definition/treatment of hypotension, routine echocardiography, use of sedation, use of electroencephalogram (EEG), MRI timing, placental analysis, and follow-up duration.

CONCLUSIONS

NICUs across Canada follow available national guidelines, but variations exist in practices for managing NE during TH. Development and implementation of a consensus-based care bundle for neonates during TH may reduce practice variability and improve outcomes.

IMPACT

This survey describes the current HIE care practices and variation among tertiary centres in Canada. Variations exist in the care of neonates with NE treated with TH in NICUs across Canada. This paper Identifies areas of variation that are not discussed in detail in the national guidelines and will help to set up quality improvement initiatives. Elucidating the variation in care practices calls for the creation and implementation of a national, consensus-based care bundle, with the objective to improve the outcomes of these critically ill neonates.

Perinatal asphyxia from the obstetric standpoint

Perinatal asphyxia remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality for term newborns. Though access to health care and birth attendants have decreased the rate, Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) has not been eliminated. Worldwide, women at socioeconomic disadvantage have the highest risk of delivering a neonate with NE. Neonates that will experience perinatal asphyxia cannot be easily identified prospectively and the intrapartum testing available is not specific enough to clearly indicate the best course of action in most cases. Despite this, training programs that aim to decrease morbidity and mortality from all causes appear to be associated with fewer cases of perinatal asphyxia. The current best approach is to support education and communication for all people involved in the care of birthing women. Ideally, new technology will address identification of the fetus likely to be affected or the fetus who is beginning to experience injury in advance of delivery.