A limited interval of delayed modest hypothermia for ischemic brain resuscitation is not beneficial in neonatal swine.

This investigation determined if a short interval of modest hypothermia (1 h) initiated 30 min after brain ischemia provided neuroprotection. The rationale for the time and duration of brain cooling reflects the likelihood that the implementation of neuroprotective strategies will occur at an interval shortly after ischemia, and that long-term maintenance of normothermia is a cornerstone of neonatal stabilization. Studies were performed in 22 ventilated neonatal mini-swine in a superconducting magnet to obtain 31P magnetic resonance spectra. After a control period all animals underwent 15 min of global brain ischemia and were maintained normothermic for the first 30 min post-ischemia. In one group of 11 swine normothermia was continued. In the other group of 11 swine, modest hypothermia was initiated at 30 min post-ischemia, continued for 1 h and followed by resumption of normothermia. Animals were subsequently weaned from ventiltor support, removed from the magnet, and underwent neurobehavioral and histologic assessment at 72 h post-ischemia. Both groups had similar severity of ischemia, as indicated by identical changes in arterial blood pressure and pH, alterations in brain beta-nucleotide triphosphate (% of control where control = 100%, 32 +/- 28 vs 27 +/- 26% for normothermic and hypothermic groups, respectively), and the extent of intraischemic brain acidosis (6.13 +/- 0.19 vs 6.14 +/- 0.14 for normothermic and hypothermic groups, respectively). In both groups the distribution of stages of encephalopathy were the same: 1 normal and 10 abnormal (4 mild, 2 moderate, and 4 severe) normothermic, and, 3 normal and 8 abnormal (4 mild, 2 moderate, and 2 severe) hypothermic animals. There was no difference in the extent of neuronal injury between groups. We conclude that a 1-h interval of modest hypothermia initiated at 30 min post-ischemia does not confer neuroprotection.