Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Preterm Infants

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in preterm infants is uncommon, though the true incidence is not known for certain. This condition may not be easy to identify, especially in the most immature infants, as clinical signs overlap those of prematurity. Hypothermia is currently not approved for infants born at <35 weeks gestation (GA), and a large clinical trial of therapeutic hypothermia in preterm infants recently completed has not shown benefit. As in term-born infants, MRI in the neonatal period shows the site and severity of hypoxic-ischemic injury well and is one of the best tools for predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes.