title: Introduction of hypothermia for neonates with perinatal asphyxia in the Netherlands and Flanders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic hypothermia was introduced in the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium, in 2008. Since then, an increasing number of patients has been treated - up to 166 in 2010. Complications and outcome were registered in an online database.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse complications and outcome after implementation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were retrieved from an online database to which all centres had contributed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 3 years, 332 patients were treated. Excluding 24 patients with congenital abnormalities or metabolic disorders, mortality was 31.8%. Of the 210 survivors without congenital malformations, 21 had cerebral palsy, another 19 a developmental delay of more than 3 months at the age of at least 24 months, and 2 had severe hearing loss. The total adverse outcome, combining death and adverse neurodevelopment, in 308 patients without congenital malformations is 45.5%, which is similar to that of the large trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduction of therapeutic hypothermia for neonates with perinatal asphyxia in the Netherlands and Flanders has been rapid and successful, with results similar to findings in the randomised controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. F.Groenendaal@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Floris
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Groenendaal
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casaer
authors.forename: Koen P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Dijkman
authors.forename: Antonio W D
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Gavilanes
authors.forename: Timo R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: ter Horst
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laroche
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Naulaers
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rijken
authors.forename: Henrica L M
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: van Straaten
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Renate M C
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Swarte
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zecic
authors.forename: Inge A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Zonnenberg
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome