scholarly journals New possibilities for neuroprotection in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Author(s):  
Suresh Victor ◽  
Eridan Rocha-Ferreira ◽  
Ahad Rahim ◽  
Henrik Hagberg ◽  
David Edwards

AbstractAround 0.75 million babies worldwide suffer from moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) each year resulting in around 400,000 babies with neurodevelopmental impairment. In 2010, neonatal HIE was associated with 2.4% of the total Global Burden of Disease. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH), a treatment that is now standard of care in high-income countries, provides proof of concept that strategies that aim to improve neurodevelopment are not only possible but can also be implemented to clinical practice. While TH is beneficial, neonates with moderate or severe HIE treated with TH still experience devastating complications: 48% (range: 44–53) combined death or moderate/severe disability. There is a concern that TH may not be effective in low- and middle-income countries. Therapies that further improve outcomes are desperately needed, and in high-income countries, they must be tested in conjunction with TH. We have in this review focussed on pharmacological treatment options (e.g. erythropoietin, allopurinol, melatonin, cannabidiol, exendin-4/exenatide). Erythropoietin and allopurinol show promise and are progressing towards the clinic with ongoing definitive phase 3 randomised placebo-controlled trials. However, there remain global challenges for the next decade. Conclusion: There is a need for more optimal animal models, greater industry support/sponsorship, increased use of juvenile toxicology, dose-ranging studies with pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling, and well-designed clinical trials to avoid exposure to harmful medications or abandoning putative treatments. What is Known:• Therapeutic hypothermia is beneficial in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.• Neonates with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia still experience severe sequelae. What is New:• Erythropoietin, allopurinol, melatonin, cannabidiol, and exendin-4/exenatide show promise in conjunction with therapeutic hypothermia.• There is a need for more optimal animal models, greater industry support/sponsorship, increased use of juvenile toxicology, dose-ranging studies with pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling, and well-designed clinical trials.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim V. Annink ◽  
Linda S. de Vries ◽  
Floris Groenendaal ◽  
Rian M. J. C. Eijsermans ◽  
Manouk Mocking ◽  
...  

AbstractThe mammillary bodies (MB) and hippocampi are important for memory function and are often affected following neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The aim of this study was to assess neurodevelopmental outcome in 10-year-old children with HIE with and without therapeutic hypothermia. Additional aims were to assess the associations between MB atrophy, brain volumes (including the hippocampi), white matter microstructure and neurodevelopmental outcome at school-age. Ten-year-old children with HIE were included, who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia (n = 22) or would have qualified but were born before this became standard of care (n = 28). Children completed a neuropsychological and motor assessment and MRI. Mammillary bodies were scored as normal or atrophic at 10 years. Brain volumes were segmented on childhood MRI and DTI scans were analysed using tract-based spatial statistics. Children with HIE suffered from neurocognitive and memory problems at school-age, irrespective of hypothermia. Hippocampal volumes and MB atrophy were associated with total and performance IQ, processing speed and episodic memory in both groups. Normal MB and larger hippocampi were positively associated with global fractional anisotropy. In conclusion, injury to the MB and hippocampi was associated with neurocognition and memory at school-age in HIE and might be an early biomarker for neurocognitive and memory problems.


Perfusion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 700-706
Author(s):  
Prasad Bhandary ◽  
John M Daniel ◽  
Sean C Skinner ◽  
Matthew K Bacon ◽  
Mina Hanna ◽  
...  

Therapeutic hypothermia initiated within 6 hours of birth is currently the standard of care for the management of neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Neonates undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy are also at risk for severe respiratory failure and need for extracorporeal life support. The risks and benefits of therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during extracorporeal life support are still not well defined. We report our experience of a case series of six neonates who underwent therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during extracorporeal life support. We also report long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up from 6 to 24 months and add to the current body of evidence regarding feasibility, clinical experience, and short-term complications.


Author(s):  
Jerry Hsu ◽  
Noreen Shaikh ◽  
Hantamalala Ralay Ranaivo ◽  
Andrea C. Pardo ◽  
Rebecca B. Mets-Halgrimson

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Brinda Balasubramanian ◽  
Simran Venkatraman ◽  
Kyaw Zwar Myint ◽  
Tavan Janvilisri ◽  
Kanokpan Wongprasert ◽  
...  

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a group of malignancies that originate from the biliary tract, is associated with a high mortality rate and a concerning increase in worldwide incidence. In Thailand, where the incidence of CCA is the highest, the socioeconomic burden is severe. Yet, treatment options are limited, with surgical resection being the only form of treatment with curative intent. The current standard-of-care remains adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy which is ineffective in most patients. The overall survival rate is dismal, even after surgical resection and the tumor heterogeneity further complicates treatment. Together, this makes CCA a significant burden in Southeast Asia. For effective management of CCA, treatment must be tailored to each patient, individually, for which an assortment of targeted therapies must be available. Despite the increasing numbers of clinical studies in CCA, targeted therapy drugs rarely get approved for clinical use. In this review, we discuss the shortcomings of the conventional clinical trial process and propose the implementation of a novel concept, co-clinical trials to expedite drug development for CCA patients. In co-clinical trials, the preclinical studies and clinical trials are conducted simultaneously, thus enabling real-time data integration to accurately stratify and customize treatment for patients, individually. Hence, co-clinical trials are expected to improve the outcomes of clinical trials and consequently, encourage the approval of targeted therapy drugs. The increased availability of targeted therapy drugs for treatment is expected to facilitate the application of precision medicine in CCA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6801
Author(s):  
Viktória Kovács ◽  
Gábor Remzső ◽  
Valéria Tóth-Szűki ◽  
Viktória Varga ◽  
János Németh ◽  
...  

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is still a major cause of neonatal death and disability as therapeutic hypothermia (TH) alone cannot afford sufficient neuroprotection. The present study investigated whether ventilation with molecular hydrogen (2.1% H2) or graded restoration of normocapnia with CO2 for 4 h after asphyxia would augment the neuroprotective effect of TH in a subacute (48 h) HIE piglet model. Piglets were randomized to untreated naïve, control-normothermia, asphyxia-normothermia (20-min 4%O2–20%CO2 ventilation; Tcore = 38.5 °C), asphyxia-hypothermia (A-HT, Tcore = 33.5 °C, 2–36 h post-asphyxia), A-HT + H2, or A-HT + CO2 treatment groups. Asphyxia elicited severe hypoxia (pO2 = 19 ± 5 mmHg) and mixed acidosis (pH = 6.79 ± 0.10). HIE development was confirmed by altered cerebral electrical activity and neuropathology. TH was significantly neuroprotective in the caudate nucleus but demonstrated virtually no such effect in the hippocampus. The mRNA levels of apoptosis-inducing factor and caspase-3 showed a ~10-fold increase in the A-HT group compared to naïve animals in the hippocampus but not in the caudate nucleus coinciding with the region-specific neuroprotective effect of TH. H2 or CO2 did not augment TH-induced neuroprotection in any brain areas; rather, CO2 even abolished the neuroprotective effect of TH in the caudate nucleus. In conclusion, the present findings do not support the use of these medical gases to supplement TH in HIE management.


2017 ◽  
Vol 176 (10) ◽  
pp. 1295-1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemananda Muniraman ◽  
Danielle Gardner ◽  
Jane Skinner ◽  
Anna Paweletz ◽  
Anitha Vayalakkad ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Huang ◽  
Fengyan Zhao ◽  
Yi Qu ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractHypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a serious disease leading to neonatal death, is becoming a key area of pediatric neurological research. Despite remarkable advances in the understanding of HIE, the explicit pathogenesis of HIE is unclear, and well-established treatments are absent. Animal models are usually considered as the first step in the exploration of the underlying disease and in evaluating promising therapeutic interventions. Various animal models of HIE have been developed with distinct characteristics, and it is important to choose an appropriate animal model according to the experimental objectives. Generally, small animal models may be more suitable for exploring the mechanisms of HIE, whereas large animal models are better for translational studies. This review focuses on the features of commonly used HIE animal models with respect to their modeling strategies, merits, and shortcomings, and associated neuropathological changes, providing a comprehensive reference for improving existing animal models and developing new animal models.


Author(s):  
John Flibotte ◽  
Abbot R. Laptook ◽  
Seetha Shankaran ◽  
Scott A. McDonald ◽  
Mariana C. Baserga ◽  
...  

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