Early proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy during and after therapeutic hypothermia in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Background: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a significant cause of mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment despite treatment with therapeutic hypothermia. Magnetic resonance H-spectroscopy measures concentrations of cerebral metabolites to detect derangements in aerobic metabolism.

Objective: We assessed MR spectroscopy in neonates with HIE within 18-24 h of initiating therapeutic hypothermia and at 5-6 days post therapeutic hypothermia.

Materials And Methods: Eleven neonates with HIE underwent MR spectroscopy of the basal ganglia and white matter. We compared metabolite concentrations during therapeutic hypothermia and post-therapeutic hypothermia and between moderate and severe HIE.

Results: During therapeutic hypothermia, neonates with severe HIE had decreased basal ganglia N-acetylaspartate (NAA; 0.62±0.08 vs. 0.72±0.05; P=0.02), NAA + N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG; 0.66±0.11 vs. 0.77±0.06; P=0.05), glycerophosphorylcholine + phosphatidylcholine (GPC+PCh; 0.28±0.05 vs. 0.38±0.06; P=0.02) and decreased white matter GPC+PCh (0.35±0.13 vs. 0.48±0.04; P=0.02) compared to neonates with moderate HIE. For all subjects, basal ganglia NAA decreased (-0.08±0.07; P=0.01), whereas white matter GPC+PCh increased (0.03±0.04; P=0.04) from therapeutic hypothermia MRI to post-therapeutic-hypothermia MRI. All metabolite values are expressed in mmol/L.

Conclusion: Decreased NAA and GPC+PCh were associated with greater HIE severity and could distinguish neonates who might benefit most from targeted additional neuroprotective therapies.