Kalteren WS, et al. - Whether perinatal anemia results in different short-term and long-term outcomes than other causes of perinatal asphyxia treated with therapeutic hypothermia was investigated in this analysis. Researchers reported that perinatal anemia causing moderate to severe perinatal asphyxia was correlated with a higher risk for neonatal mortality. Findings revealed that compared to survivors without anemia, the anemic surviving infants exhibited better neurodevelopmental outcomes (NDOs) during infancy.

Methods

• For this investigation, infants with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, born between May 2009 and October 2015 were retrospectively involved.
• Using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition (BSID-III), researchers evaluated cognitive and motor development at 2–3 years of age during follow-up.
• They classified NDO as abnormal in case of cerebral palsy with Gross Motor Function Classification System ≥III and/or a BSID-III composite score < 85.
• They compared outcomes of infants with perinatal anemia (initial hemoglobin < 7 mmol/L) to infants born with perinatal asphyxia due to other causes.

Results

• Out of included 111 infants, 30 infants (27%) died during the neonatal period.
• It was observed that infants with anemia (n = 23) had a higher mortality risk, OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.27–8.72, p=0.01.
• According to the findings obtained, none of the surviving infants with anemia (n = 12) had an abnormal NDO, in contrast to 26/69 (38%) with neurodevelopmental impairments, especially motor problems, in the non-anemic group, p < 0.01.