Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
Early Pathological and Magnetic Resonance Detection of Cerebral Injury Using a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Published on: October 28, 2022
Association between multi-organ dysfunction and adverse outcome in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
Elisabeth S Yan1, Valerie Y Chock1, Sonia Lomeli Bonifacio1
1Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate multi-organ dysfunction (MOD) in newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and to compare MOD in those with normal/mild magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings to those with moderate to severe MRI findings or death.
Study Design:
Retrospective single-center observational study of infants treated with TH. A total of 16 parameters across 7 organ systems were analyzed. Primary outcome was death or moderate to severe brain injury on MRI.
Result:
Of 157 infants treated with TH, 77% had ≥2 organ systems with dysfunction. The number of organ systems with dysfunction was strongly associated with death or moderate-to-severe brain injury (p < 0.0001). Hematologic (68%) and hepatic (65%) dysfunction were most common. Neurologic and renal dysfunction were most strongly associated with the primary outcome (OR 13.5 [6.1-29.8] and 11.2 [4.1-30.3], respectively), while pulmonary hypertension was not.
Conclusion:
MOD is prevalent in infants undergoing TH for HIE, and the association between MOD and adverse outcomes may impact clinical care and counseling.
