BackgroundNeonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) are at risk of cerebral blood flow dysregulation. Our objective was to describe the relationship between autoregulation and neurologic injury in HIE.MethodsNeonates with HIE had autoregulation monitoring with the hemoglobin volume index (HVx) during therapeutic hypothermia, rewarming, and the first 6 h of normothermia. The 5-mmHg range of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) with best vasoreactivity (MAPOPT) was identified. The percentage of time spent with MAP below MAPOPT and deviation in MAP from MAPOPT were measured. Neonates received brain MRIs 3–7 days after treatment. MRIs were coded as no, mild, or moderate/severe injury in five regions.ResultsHVx identified MAPOPT in 79% (19/24), 77% (17/22), and 86% (18/21) of neonates during hypothermia, rewarming, and normothermia, respectively. Neonates with moderate/severe injury in paracentral gyri, white matter, basal ganglia, and thalamus spent a greater proportion of time with MAP below MAPOPT during rewarming than neonates with no or mild injury. Neonates with moderate/severe injury in paracentral gyri, basal ganglia, and thalamus had greater MAP deviation below MAPOPT during rewarming than neonates without injury.ConclusionMaintaining MAP within or above MAPOPT may reduce the risk of neurologic injuries in neonatal HIE.

BACKGROUNDANDPURPOSE Neurologic morbidity remains high in neonates with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic injury despite therapeutic hypothermia. DTI provides qualitative and quantitative information about the microstructure of the brain, and a near-infrared spectroscopy index can assess cerebrovascular autoregulation. We hypothesized that lower ADC values would correlate with worse autoregulatory function. MATERIALSANDMETHODS Thirty-one neonates with hypoxic-ischemic injury were enrolled. ADC scalars were measured in 27 neonates (age range, 4–15 days) in the anterior and posterior centrum semiovale, basal ganglia, thalamus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, pons, and middle cerebellar peduncle on MRI obtained after completion of therapeutic hypothermia. The blood pressure range of each neonate with the most robust autoregulation was identified by using a near-infrared spectroscopy index. Autoregulatory function was measured by blood pressure deviation below the range with optimal autoregulation. RESULTS In neonates who had MRI on day of life ≥10, lower ADC scalars in the posterior centrum semiovale (r = −0.87, P = .003, n = 9) and the posterior limb of the internal capsule (r = −0.68, P = .04, n = 9) correlated with blood pressure deviation below the range with optimal autoregulation during hypothermia. Lower ADC scalars in the basal ganglia correlated with worse autoregulation during rewarming (r = −0.71, P = .05, n = 8). CONCLUSIONS Blood pressure deviation from the optimal autoregulatory range may be an early biomarker of injury in the posterior centrum semiovale, posterior limb of the internal capsule, and basal ganglia. Optimizing blood pressure to support autoregulation may decrease the risk of brain injury in cooled neonates with hypoxic-ischemic injury.