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BMC Pediatrics Nov 2021Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal brain injury, morbidity, and mortality globally. It leads to a multi-organ dysfunction in the neonate and to a neurological...
BACKGROUND
Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal brain injury, morbidity, and mortality globally. It leads to a multi-organ dysfunction in the neonate and to a neurological dysfunction called Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). Cooling therapy is commonly used to slow or stop the damaging effects of birth asphyxia. However, most of the cooling devices used in the healthcare facility do not have a rewarming functionality after cooling therapy. A separate rewarming device, usually a radiant warmer or incubator is used to rewarm the infant after therapy, causing additional burden to the healthcare system and infant families. The objective of this project was, therefore, to design and develop a cost-effective and efficient total body cooling and rewarming device.
METHODS
Our design includes two water reservoirs that operate by pumping cold and warm sterile water to a mattress. After decreasing the infant's core body temperature to 33.5 °C, the system is designed to maintain it for 72 h. Feedback for temperature regulation is provided by the rectal and mattress temperature sensors. Once the cooling therapy is completed, the system again rewarms the water inside the mattress and gradually increases the neonate temperature to 36.5-37 °C. The water temperature sensors' effectiveness was evaluated by adding 1000 ml of water to the reservoir and cooling and warming to the required level of temperature using Peltier. Then a digital thermometer was used as a gold standard to compare with the sensor's readings. This was performed for five iterations.
RESULTS
The prototype was built and gone through different tests and iterations. The proposed device was tested for accuracy, cost-effectiveness and easy to use. Ninety-three point two percent accuracy has been achieved for temperature sensor measurement, and the prototype was built only with a component cost of less than 200 USD. This is excluding design, manufacturing, and other costs.
CONCLUSION
A device that can monitor and regulate the neonate core body temperature at the neuroprotective range is designed and developed. This is achieved by continuous monitoring and regulation of the water reservoirs, mattress, and rectal temperatures. The device also allows continuous monitoring of the infant's body temperature, mattress temperature, reservoir temperature, and pulse rate. The proposed device has the potential to play a significant role in reducing neonatal brain injury and death due to HIE, especially in low resource settings, where the expertise and the means are scarce.
Topics: Asphyxia; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Body Temperature; Humans; Hypothermia, Induced; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Infant; Infant, Newborn
PubMed: 34732165
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02970-z -
Neurotoxicity Research May 2011Delivery is a stressful and risky event menacing the newborn. The mother-dependent respiration has to be replaced by autonomous pulmonary breathing immediately after... (Review)
Review
Delivery is a stressful and risky event menacing the newborn. The mother-dependent respiration has to be replaced by autonomous pulmonary breathing immediately after delivery. If delayed, it may lead to deficient oxygen supply compromising survival and development of the central nervous system. Lack of oxygen availability gives rise to depletion of NAD(+) tissue stores, decrease of ATP formation, weakening of the electron transport pump and anaerobic metabolism and acidosis, leading necessarily to death if oxygenation is not promptly re-established. Re-oxygenation triggers a cascade of compensatory biochemical events to restore function, which may be accompanied by improper homeostasis and oxidative stress. Consequences may be incomplete recovery, or excess reactions that worsen the biological outcome by disturbed metabolism and/or imbalance produced by over-expression of alternative metabolic pathways. Perinatal asphyxia has been associated with severe neurological and psychiatric sequelae with delayed clinical onset. No specific treatments have yet been established. In the clinical setting, after resuscitation of an infant with birth asphyxia, the emphasis is on supportive therapy. Several interventions have been proposed to attenuate secondary neuronal injuries elicited by asphyxia, including hypothermia. Although promising, the clinical efficacy of hypothermia has not been fully demonstrated. It is evident that new approaches are warranted. The purpose of this review is to discuss the concept of sentinel proteins as targets for neuroprotection. Several sentinel proteins have been described to protect the integrity of the genome (e.g. PARP-1; XRCC1; DNA ligase IIIα; DNA polymerase β, ERCC2, DNA-dependent protein kinases). They act by eliciting metabolic cascades leading to (i) activation of cell survival and neurotrophic pathways; (ii) early and delayed programmed cell death, and (iii) promotion of cell proliferation, differentiation, neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis. It is proposed that sentinel proteins can be used as markers for characterising long-term effects of perinatal asphyxia, and as targets for novel therapeutic development and innovative strategies for neonatal care.
Topics: Animals; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Drug Delivery Systems; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neuroprotective Agents; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group D Protein
PubMed: 20645042
DOI: 10.1007/s12640-010-9208-9 -
Developmental Neuroscience 2017In the era of therapeutic hypothermia, reliable preclinical studies are integral to successfully identify neuroprotective strategies to further improve outcomes of... (Review)
Review
In the era of therapeutic hypothermia, reliable preclinical studies are integral to successfully identify neuroprotective strategies to further improve outcomes of encephalopathy at term. We reviewed preclinical neuroprotection studies reported between January 2014 and June 2016 to assess the use of effective temperature monitoring and control. As a secondary measure, we examined whether studies addressed other methodological issues such as stage of brain development, sex differences, the timing of the treatment relative to the insult, and the histological and functional endpoints used after hypoxia-ischemia. The extent and duration of temperature monitoring was highly inconsistent. Only a minority of papers monitored core (19/61; 31%) or brain temperature (3/61; 5%). Most (40/45) of the neuroprotectants either were likely to affect thermoregulation or their impact is unknown. In 85% of papers neonatal rodents were used (67% at P7); 51% of papers did not report the sex of the animals or tested the effect of potential neuroprotectants on just one sex. In 76% of studies, treatment was before or immediately after the insult (within the first 2 h), and few studies assessed long-term histological and behavioral outcomes. In conclusion, many recent preclinical neonatal studies cannot exclude the possibility that apparent neuroprotection might be related to drug-induced hypothermia or to other methodological choices. Close monitoring and control of brain temperature during, as well as for many days after, experimental hypoxia-ischemia are now critical to reliably develop new ways to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes after perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
Topics: Animals; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Humans; Hypothermia, Induced; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Infant, Newborn; Neuroprotective Agents; Research Design; Temperature
PubMed: 27988510
DOI: 10.1159/000452859 -
Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences May 2022Despite a global decline in under-five deaths, the neonatal mortality rate remains slow in developing countries and birth asphyxia remains the third cause of neonatal...
BACKGROUND
Despite a global decline in under-five deaths, the neonatal mortality rate remains slow in developing countries and birth asphyxia remains the third cause of neonatal deaths. Globally, neonatal deaths accounts for 45% of under-five deaths, birth asphyxia causes 23-40% of neonatal deaths in Ethiopia. There is limited data on risk factors of asphyxia in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the risk factors of birth asphyxia among newborns.
METHODS
This research followed a hospital-based unmatched case-control study design at Debre Markos comprehensive specialized referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, among 372 newborns (124 cases and 248 controls). Data were collected by interviewing index mothers and chart review using a pre-tested questionnaire. Then it was entered in Epi-data version 3.1 and transferred to STATA version 14.0 for analysis. Bivariate and multiple variable logistic regression were carried out to the possible risk factors. Finally, statistical significance was declared using adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI and p-value <0.05.
RESULTS
Prolonged labor >12, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, assisted vaginal delivery, gestational age < 37 weeks, noncephalic presentation, comorbidity, birthweight<2500grams were found to be significant factors of birth asphyxia.
CONCLUSION
In this study, Prolonged labor >12 hours, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, assisted vaginal delivery, gestational age < 37 weeks, non-cephalic presentation comorbidity, fetal distress, birthweight<2500grams were found to be risk factors of birth asphyxia were risk factors of birth asphyxia. Therefore, to reduce neonatal mortality associated with birth asphyxia, attention should be given to holistic pregnancy, labor and delivery care, and post-natal care. Moreover, interventions aimed at reducing birth asphyxia should target the identified factors.
Topics: Asphyxia; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Birth Weight; Case-Control Studies; Ethiopia; Female; Hospitals, Special; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Referral and Consultation; Risk Factors
PubMed: 35813672
DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v32i3.6 -
JBI Evidence Synthesis Jan 2023The objective of this review was to determine the timing of overall and cause-specific neonatal mortality and severe morbidity during the postnatal period (1-28 days). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to determine the timing of overall and cause-specific neonatal mortality and severe morbidity during the postnatal period (1-28 days).
INTRODUCTION
Despite significant focus on improving neonatal outcomes, many newborns continue to die or experience adverse health outcomes. While evidence on neonatal mortality and severe morbidity rates and causes are regularly updated, less is known on the specific timing of when they occur in the neonatal period.
INCLUSION CRITERIA
This review considered studies that reported on neonatal mortality daily in the first week; weekly in the first month; or day 1, days 2-7, and days 8-28. It also considered studies that reported on timing of severe neonatal morbidity. Studies that reported solely on preterm or high-risk infants were excluded, as these infants require specialized care. Due to the available evidence, mixed samples were included (eg, both preterm and full-term infants), reflecting a neonatal population that may include both low-risk and high-risk infants.
METHODS
MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched for published studies on December 20, 2019, and updated on May 10, 2021. Critical appraisal was undertaken by 2 independent reviewers using standardized critical appraisal instruments from JBI. Quantitative data were extracted from included studies independently by 2 reviewers using a study-specific data extraction form. All conflicts were resolved through consensus or discussion with a third reviewer. Where possible, quantitative data were pooled in statistical meta-analysis. Where statistical pooling was not possible, findings were reported narratively.
RESULTS
A total of 51 studies from 36 articles reported on relevant outcomes. Of the 48 studies that reported on timing of mortality, there were 6,760,731 live births and 47,551 neonatal deaths with timing known. Of the 34 studies that reported daily deaths in the first week, the highest proportion of deaths occurred on the first day (first 24 hours, 38.8%), followed by day 2 (24-48 hours, 12.3%). Considering weekly mortality within the first month (n = 16 studies), the first week had the highest mortality (71.7%). Based on data from 46 studies, the highest proportion of deaths occurred on day 1 (39.5%), followed closely by days 2-7 (36.8%), with the remainder occurring between days 8 and 28 (23.0%). In terms of causes, birth asphyxia accounted for the highest proportion of deaths on day 1 (68.1%), severe infection between days 2 and 7 (48.1%), and diarrhea between days 8 and 28 (62.7%). Due to heterogeneity, neonatal morbidity data were described narratively. The mean critical appraisal score of all studies was 84% (SD = 16%).
CONCLUSION
Newborns experience high mortality throughout the entire postnatal period, with the highest mortality rate in the first week, particularly on the first day. Ensuring regular high-quality postnatal visits, particularly within the first week after birth, is paramount to reduce neonatal mortality and severe morbidity.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant Mortality; Postpartum Period; Time Factors; Morbidity; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Infections; Diarrhea
PubMed: 36300916
DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-21-00479 -
PloS One 2019Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality in developing nations, such as Ethiopia. Though Ethiopia has made considerable achievement in the...
BACKGROUND
Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality in developing nations, such as Ethiopia. Though Ethiopia has made considerable achievement in the reduction of under-five mortality rate, the neonatal mortality burden has not experienced the same reduction, which may be attributed to birth asphyxia. Thus, this study attempts to assess the prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among newborns in public hospitals in the northeastern Amhara region, Ethiopia.
METHODS
An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 357 births from 1st April to 2nd May 2018. The sample size was proportionally allocated to randomly selected three public hospitals namely, Dessie referral hospital, Debre Berhan referral hospital, and Woldia general hospital. The allocation was made by taking the average number of deliveries given in each hospital six months before the data collection period. Using the delivery registration of hospitals a systematic random sampling technique was used to get all study participants. The diagnosis of birth asphyxia was confirmed based on the physician's diagnosis of an APGAR score < 7 in the 1st and 5th minutes of birth. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Variables with p-values < 0.25 in the bivariable analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis. A statistical significant level was declared at a p-value of <0.05.
RESULTS
The prevalence of birth asphyxia was found to occur 22.6% of the time [95% CI 19.2% - 26.4%] in the first minute of birth. In the multivariable logistic regression being primipara [AOR = 3.77: 95% CI 1.86, 7.65], presented with complicated labor [AOR = 3.45: 95% CI 1.58, 7.49], premature rupture of membrane [AOR = 3.85: 95% CI 1.76, 8.44) and having blood-stained amniotic fluid at birth [AOR = 5.02: 95% CI 1.69, 14.87] were the independent predictors of birth asphyxia.
CONCLUSION
The study revealed that birth asphyxia is a common newborn complication in the Amhara region. Integrated mitigation measure to reduce neonatal mortality in the Amahar region should give due attention to primipara women and for these high-risk pregnancies in order for the region to achieve national and global commitment to have sustainable change in women and neonatal health.
Topics: Adult; Amniotic Fluid; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developing Countries; Ethiopia; Female; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture; Hospitals, Public; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Obstetric Labor Complications; Parity; Parturition; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 31860643
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226891 -
Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and... 2022The aim of the study was to assess acute kidney injury (AKI) and its contributing risk factors among neonates to reduce morbidity and mortality. The study included 310...
The aim of the study was to assess acute kidney injury (AKI) and its contributing risk factors among neonates to reduce morbidity and mortality. The study included 310 neonates who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Serum creatinine (SCr) was elevated at admission, after 48 h, and before discharge or death. AKI was defined by either an acute rise in SCr of at least 0.3 mg/dL within 48 h or an increasing or persistently high level of SCr >1.5 mg/dL after 48-72 h of life. The patients who developed AKI were studied regarding the most common risk factors and outcomes. The prevalence of AKI in these neonates was 11.9%. Nephrotoxic drugs were the highest risk factor among patients with AKI, but this was not statistically significant different from patients without AKI. Perinatal asphyxia (59.5%), respiratory distress syndrome (48.6%), shock (43.2%), prematurity (40.5%), and sepsis (37.8%) were the main risk factors of AKI following the nephrotoxic drugs (64.9%). The mortality rate for cases with AKI was 62.1%, with a statistically significant difference from non-AKI neonates. The death rate was higher among neonates born before 36 weeks' gestation. There was no statistical difference between oliguric and non-oliguric neonates with AKI regarding the outcome. The overall incidence of AKI in sick neonates admitted to the NICU was 11.9%. Nephrotoxic drugs, perinatal asphyxia, shock, and prematurity were the main risk factors for developing AKI.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Critical Illness; Asphyxia; Infant, Premature; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Risk Factors; Acute Kidney Injury; Retrospective Studies; Creatinine
PubMed: 37843143
DOI: 10.4103/1319-2442.385965 -
Neonatology 2023We aimed to examine the association between placental abnormalities and neurodevelopmental outcomes in a multicenter cohort of newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic...
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to examine the association between placental abnormalities and neurodevelopmental outcomes in a multicenter cohort of newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) that underwent therapeutic hypothermia. We hypothesized that subjects with acute placental abnormalities would have reduced risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 2 years of age after undergoing therapeutic hypothermia compared to subjects without acute placental changes.
STUDY DESIGN
Among 500 subjects born at ≥36 weeks gestation with moderate or severe HIE enrolled in the High-dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL) Trial, a placental pathologist blinded to clinical information reviewed clinical pathology reports to determine the presence of acute only, chronic only, or both acute and chronic histologic abnormalities. We calculated adjusted relative risks (aRRs) for associations between placental pathologic abnormalities and death or NDI at age 2 years, adjusting for HIE severity, treatment assignment, and site.
RESULT
321/500 subjects (64%) had available placental pathology reports. Placental abnormalities were characterized as acute only (20%), chronic only (21%), both acute and chronic (43%), and none (15%). The risk of death or NDI was not statistically different between subjects with and without an acute placental abnormality (46 vs. 53%, aRR 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9, 1.4). Subjects with two or more chronic lesions were more likely to have an adverse outcome than subjects with no chronic abnormalities, though this did not reach statistical significance (55 vs. 45%, aRR 1.24, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.56).
CONCLUSION
Placental pathologic findings were not independently associated with risk of death or NDI in subjects with HIE. The relationship between multiple chronic placental lesions and HIE outcomes deserves further study.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Infant; Child; Humans; Female; Pregnancy; Child, Preschool; Placenta; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Developmental Disabilities; Asphyxia; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Hypothermia, Induced
PubMed: 37742617
DOI: 10.1159/000533652 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Feb 1998
Topics: Asphyxia Neonatorum; Cardiotocography; Female; Fetal Death; Heart Rate, Fetal; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy
PubMed: 9522771
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.316.7132.640 -
PLoS Medicine May 2014Maternal overweight and obesity increase risks of pregnancy and delivery complications and neonatal mortality, but the mechanisms are unclear. The objective of the study...
BACKGROUND
Maternal overweight and obesity increase risks of pregnancy and delivery complications and neonatal mortality, but the mechanisms are unclear. The objective of the study was to investigate associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy and severe asphyxia-related outcomes in infants delivered at term (≥37 weeks).
METHODS AND FINDINGS
A nation-wide Swedish cohort study based on data from the Medical Birth Register included all live singleton term births in Sweden between 1992 and 2010. Logistic regression analyses were used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs for Apgar scores between 0 and 3 at 5 and 10 minutes, meconium aspiration syndrome, and neonatal seizures, adjusted for maternal height, maternal age, parity, mother's smoking habits, education, country of birth, and year of infant birth. Among 1,764,403 term births, 86% had data on early pregnancy BMI and Apgar scores. There were 1,380 infants who had Apgar score 0-3 at 5 minutes (absolute risk = 0.8 per 1,000) and 894 had Apgar score 0-3 at 10 minutes (absolute risk = 0.5 per 1,000). Compared with infants of mothers with normal BMI (18.5-24.9), the adjusted ORs (95% CI) for Apgar scores 0-3 at 10 minutes were as follows: BMI 25-29.9: 1.32 (1.10-1.58); BMI 30-34.9: 1.57 (1.20-2.07); BMI 35-39.9: 1.80 (1.15-2.82); and BMI ≥40: 3.41 (1.91-6.09). The ORs for Apgar scores 0-3 at 5 minutes, meconium aspiration, and neonatal seizures increased similarly with maternal BMI. A study limitation was lack of data on effects of obstetric interventions and neonatal resuscitation efforts.
CONCLUSION
Risks of severe asphyxia-related outcomes in term infants increase with maternal overweight and obesity. Given the high prevalence of the exposure and the severity of the outcomes studied, the results are of potential public health relevance and should be confirmed in other populations. Prevention of overweight and obesity in women of reproductive age is important to improve perinatal health.
Topics: Adult; Apgar Score; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Body Mass Index; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome; Mothers; Obesity; Odds Ratio; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Risk Factors; Seizures; Sweden; Term Birth; Young Adult
PubMed: 24845218
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001648