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Hypothermia: An Evolving Treatment for Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
- Source :
- Pediatrics. 121:648-649
- Publication Year :
- 2008
- Publisher :
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 2008.
-
Abstract
- To the Editor.— It has always been challenging to know when new therapies should be considered ready for use in practice. History has provided many contrasting examples of simple and effective treatments (such as phototherapy and antenatal steroids) that languished for decades before being adopted and treatments that were and often continue to be used well after they proved to be either useless or less effective than simpler alternatives. However, it is extremely difficult to understand why Kirpalani and colleagues1 are so concerned that some neonatologists are now choosing to offer therapeutic hypothermia on a compassionate basis. Neither these practitioners nor any official body have, to our knowledge, declared that hypothermia should be the standard of care. They, and several of the undersigned, helped develop the consensus of the 2005 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development workshop that hypothermia is an evolving (not unproven or experimental) therapy, with many questions around its optimal use.2 Thus, the underlying premise of their commentary is shaky. Three independent …
Details
- ISSN :
- 10984275 and 00314005
- Volume :
- 121
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Pediatrics
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........a37037294621332911d8d659abbf3433