title: Management of hypothermia for perinatal asphyxia in Austria - a survey of current practice standards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) has been shown to reduce the risk of death or disability and increase the rate of survival free of -disability at 18-24 months of age in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to take a national survey which (a) evaluated the practice of therapeutic HT for perinatal asphyxia in Austria, (b) evaluated the current clinical management of neonatal HIE and (c) evaluated the need for a national perinatal asphyxia and HT registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  In January 2013, a questionnaire was sent out to the clinical heads of all neonatal level-II and level-III units in Austria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received replies from all 30 level II and level III units in Austria (response rate 100%). 19 units (63%) answered that they applied HT, 11 units (37%) said they transferred patients for cooling to other units, 3 of those 11 units (27%) said they applied cooling during transport. 25 units (83%) felt the necessity to establish a national registry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this survey show that there is already a high implementation of therapeutic HT in Austria, but there remains a need for information, awareness and training. Problem areas tend to be in the transport of asphyxiated neonates, brain monitoring during cooling and follow-up of affected patients. We believe, that the establishment of national guidelines and a national register could increase awareness for the importance of therapeutic HT in neonatal HIE, thus improve the Austrian management of those infants.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gerstl
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klebermass-Schrehof
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weninger
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olischar
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001317:Austria; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards