Short-term Outcome and Predictors of Survival Among Neonates with Moderate or Severe Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: Data From the Indian Neonatal Collaborative.

Background: Among term and late preterm infants, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is an important cause of mortality, and neurologic morbidity among survivors.

Objective: The primary objective was to study the incidence of survival to discharge among late preterm and term infants with moderate or severe HIE. Secondary objectives were to explore variation in the management of HIE across participating sites and to identify the predictors of survival.

Setting: Indian Neonatal Collaborative (INNC), a network of 28 neonatal units in India.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort.

Participants: Late preterm (34-36 weeks) and term (37-42 weeks) infants with moderate to severe HIE from 2018-2019.

Outcome: The primary outcome was survival to discharge (including discharged home and transfer to other hospital). A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to identify the predictors of survival.

Results: Of 352 infants with moderate or severe HIE, 59% received therapeutic hypothermia. Survival to discharge among infants with moderate or severe HIE was 82%. Severe HIE (aOR 0.04; 95% CI 0.02-0.10), persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) (aOR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08-0.61) and requirement of epinephrine during resuscitation (aOR 0.21; 95% CI 0.05-0.84) were independently associated with decreased odds of survival to discharge.

Conclusion: Survival to discharge among infants with moderate or severe HIE was 82%. Severe HIE, requirement of epinephrine during resuscitation and PPHN decreased the odds of survival.