COHESION core outcomes in neonatal encephalopathy
Date
2022-12-05Embargo Date
2024-10-29
Author
Quirke, Fiona
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Abstract
Neonatal encephalopathy is a complex neurological syndrome in newborn infants
characterised by depression in tone and consciousness, impaired reflexes, and often
seizures. The main subtype of neonatal encephalopathy is hypoxic-ischemic
encephalopathy (HIE), caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood reaching the brain and
other organs of the body. Therapeutic hypothermia is commonly used to treat HIE in
high-income countries, showing evidence of reducing the risk of death and improving
outcomes such as neurodevelopmental disability. However, the beneficial effects of
therapeutic hypothermia were not replicated in low- to middle-income countries,
instead leading to increased death and adverse events in infants. New treatments are
now being investigated in randomised trials for the treatment of neonatal
encephalopathy. However, researchers cannot compare the findings of trials because
different outcomes are measured and reported.
One way to minimise the heterogeneity in outcomes reported is to develop a core
outcome set (COS). A core outcome set is a standardised set of outcomes agreed by
key stakeholders that should be measured and reported in all studies for a health
condition as a minimum.
The work presented in this thesis (The COHESION Study) aims to develop a COS for
interventions for the treatment of neonatal encephalopathy