Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy among Asphyxiated Nigeran Newborns

Abstract

To compare the clinical presentation and immediate outcome of Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy among hospitalized asphyxiated newborns. Babies hospitalised with birth asphyxia in a Nigerian tertiary hospital were prospectively studied uding bivariate analysis. of 114 babies hospitalized with birth asphyxia, 41 (31.5%) had HIE. Most of the affected babies had Grade II HIE (75.6%) and were out-born (80.5%). A significantly higher proportion of the babies with HIE had seizures (P<0.001) and abnormal neurological features at the end of the first week of admission (P<0.001). The Case Fatality Rate among babies with HIE was 39.0% compared to 25.0% among those without HIE. Death occured among 25% of in-born encephalopathic babies compared to 43.8% of out-born. HIE was more severe and mortality higher among out-born babies. Prompt institution of care for asphyxiated babies may reduce HIE-related morbidities and mortality.

Keywords: Asphyxia, Encephalopathy, Neurodevelopmental outcome, Newborn, Seizure.