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Early Pathological and Magnetic Resonance Detection of Cerebral Injury Using a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Published on: October 28, 2022
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Acupuncture for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in neonates.
Greta Sibrecht1, Ming Yin Wong2, Rujan Shrestha3,4
1II Department of Neonatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|December 18, 2024
Summary
Limited research exists on acupuncture for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Current studies do not provide evidence on its benefits or harms, necessitating cautious clinical use and further trials.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Peripartum asphyxia impacts 3-5/1000 live births, with 0.5-1/1000 experiencing hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
- HIE is linked to significant mortality and morbidity.
- Therapeutic hypothermia is a standard treatment, but alternative therapies like acupuncture are explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the benefits and harms of acupuncture for neonates with HIE.
- Comparisons included no treatment, placebo, pharmacologic treatments, and different acupuncture types.
- Outcomes assessed were mortality, neurodevelopmental disability, and adverse events.
Main Methods:
- Searched multiple databases (CENTRAL, PubMed, Embase, etc.) and grey literature up to March 2023.
- Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and cluster-RCTs.
- Focused on term and late preterm infants (≤10 days old) with peripartum asphyxia.
Main Results:
- Four studies (464 infants) comparing acupuncture to no treatment were included.
- Studies were from China and Russia.
- Crucially, none of the included studies reported on the prespecified primary outcomes (mortality, neurodevelopmental disability, adverse events).
Conclusions:
- There is a significant lack of high-quality studies on acupuncture for neonatal HIE.
- Current evidence is insufficient to support the routine use of acupuncture for HIE.
- Well-designed RCTs focusing on mortality and neurodevelopmental outcomes are essential.
