Abstract
Abstract
Background
To determine the association between early infection risk factors and short-term outcomes in infants with neonatal encephalopathy following perinatal asphyxia (NE).
Methods
A retrospective population-based cohort study utilizing the National Neonatal Research Database that included infants with NE admitted to neonatal units in England and Wales, Jan 2008–Feb 2018. Exposure: one or more of rupture of membranes >18 h, maternal group B streptococcus colonization, chorioamnionitis, maternal pyrexia or antepartum antibiotics. Primary outcome: death or nasogastric feeds/nil by mouth (NG/NBM) at discharge. Secondary outcomes: organ dysfunction; length of stay; intraventricular hemorrhage; antiseizure medications use.
Results
998 (13.7%) out of 7265 NE infants had exposure to early infection risk factors. Primary outcome (20.3% vs. 23.1%, OR 0.87 (95% CI 0.71–1.08), p = 0.22), death (12.8% vs. 14.0%, p = 0.32) and NG/NBM (17.4% vs. 19.9%. p = 0.07) did not differ between the exposed and unexposed group. Time to full sucking feeds (OR 0.81 (0.69–0.95)), duration (OR 0.82 (0.71–0.95)) and the number of antiseizure medications (OR 0.84 (0.72–0.98)) were lower in exposed than unexposed infants after adjusting for confounders. Therapeutic hypothermia did not alter the results.
Conclusions
Infants with NE exposed to risk factors for early-onset infection did not have worse short-term adverse outcomes.
Impact
Risk factors for early-onset neonatal infection, including rupture of membranes >18 h, maternal group B streptococcus colonization, chorioamnionitis, maternal pyrexia or antepartum antibiotics, were not associated with death or short-term morbidity after cooling for NE.
Despite exposure to risk factors for early-onset neonatal infection, infants with NE reached oral feeds earlier and needed fewer anti-seizure medications for a shorter duration than infants with NE but without such risk factors.
This study supports current provision of therapeutic hypothermia for infants with NE and any risk factors for early-onset neonatal infection.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC