Hypocarbia and Adverse Outcome in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective To evaluate the association between early hypocarbia and 18- to 22-month outcome among neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Study design Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network randomized, controlled trial of whole-body hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were used for this secondary observational study. Infants (n = 204) had multiple blood gases recorded from birth to 12 hours of study intervention (hypothermia versus intensive care alone). The relationship between hypocarbia and outcome (death/disability at 18 to 22 months) was evaluated by unadjusted and adjusted analyses examining minimum PCO2 and cumulative exposure to PCO2