Cooling the asphyxiated brain - ready for clinical trials?

Recent research using newborn animal models of hypoxia-ischaemia has shown that cooling the subject from 3 to 6 degrees C starting after the insult an d lasting up to 72 h offers long-lasting neuroprotection. One concern is th at additional stress during hypothermia seems to reduce the beneficial effe ct. Phase 1 studies on cooling severely asphyxiated infants have not yet re vealed any systemic adverse effects. Conclusion The evidence is strongly in favor of hypothermia reducing brain damage after asphyxia and the time has come for undertaking randomized tria ls.