Association between Early Basal Ganglia and Thalami Perfusion Assessed by Color Doppler Ultrasonography and Brain Injury in Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Prospective Cohort Study

To evaluate associations between neurologic outcomes and early measurements of basal ganglia (BG) and thalamic (Th) perfusion using color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Prospective study of infants with mild (n = 18), moderate (n = 17), and severe HIE (n = 14) and controls (n = 17). Infants with moderate-severe HIE received therapeutic hypothermia (TH). CDUS was performed at 24-36 hours and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a median of 10 days. Development was followed through 2.5-5 years. The primary outcome was the association between BG and Th perfusion and brain MRI injury. Secondary analyses focused on associations between perfusion measurements and admission neurologic examinations, MRI scores in infants treated with TH, and motor and sensory disability, or death. An exploratory analysis assessed the accuracy of BG and Th perfusion to predict brain MRI injury in infants treated with TH. Increased BG and Th perfusion on CDUS was observed in infants with severe MRI scores and those with significant motor and neurosensory disability or death through 2.5-5 years (P