Erythropoietin for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial - Scorecard - MDSpire
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Erythropoietin Treatment in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Results from a Randomized Clinical Study

  • By

  • Helen G. Liley

  • Rod W. Hunt

  • Rachel L. O’Connell

  • Malcolm R. Battin

  • Iona Novak

  • Yvonne W. Wu

  • Roberta Ballard

  • Lisa Askie

  • Nadia Badawi

  • Alpana Ghadge

  • Susan E. Jacobs

  • Sandra E. Juul

  • Lucille Sebastian

  • Deepika Wagh

  • R. John Simes

  • PAEAN Study Investigators

  • Shannon Clough

  • Jennifer Bowen

  • Paul Colditz

  • Girsih Deshpande

  • Lisa Gold

  • Wendy Hague

  • Kei Lui

  • Dominic Wilkinson

  • Nicola Austin

  • Sarah Bellhouse

  • Max Berry

  • Clare Collins

  • Amanda Dyson

  • Antonio G de Paoli

  • Koert de Waal

  • Bevan Headley

  • Leah Hickey

  • James Holberton

  • David Hou

  • Alison L Kent

  • Vinayak Kodur

  • Richard Mausling

  • Scott Morris

  • Arun Nair

  • David Osborn

  • Victor Samuel Rajadurai

  • Nadia Schmidt

  • Jason Tan

  • Mark B Tracy

  • Flora Y Wong

  • Sarah Finlayson

  • Shannon Hunt

  • Carbo Yeung

  • Laurence Ralston

  • October 1, 2026

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Clinical Scorecard: Erythropoietin Treatment in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Results from a Randomized Clinical Study

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionNeonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Key MechanismsErythropoietin (EPO) synthesis in response to hypoxia, mobilizing erythropoietic progenitors and supporting progenitor survival.
Target PopulationLate-preterm and term newborns with moderate or severe HIE receiving therapeutic hypothermia.
Care SettingNeonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs)

Key Highlights

  • Moderate or severe HIE diagnosed in 1.05 per 1000 term and near-term infants in New Zealand and Australia.
  • EPO administered in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.
  • Primary outcome assessed at 2 years for all-cause death or survival with moderate or severe developmental deficit.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Eligibility includes Apgar score of 5 or less, ongoing resuscitation, or pH below 7.00.

Management

  • Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for 72 hours initiated by 6 hours of age.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Neurological and developmental assessments at 2 years.

Risks

  • Exclusion for EPO contraindications and significant congenital anomalies.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Infants born at 35+0 weeks’ gestation or later with indicators of birth depression.

EPO administered at 1000 units/kg IV, with five doses scheduled during the first week.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Conduct thorough screening for eligibility based on defined criteria.
  • Ensure parental consent and blinding of treatment allocation.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

Erythropoietin for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

  • by Helen G. Liley, Rod W. Hunt, Rachel L. O’Connell, Malcolm R. Battin, Iona Novak, Yvonne W. Wu, Roberta Ballard, Lisa Askie, Nadia Badawi, Alpana Ghadge, Susan E. Jacobs, Sandra E. Juul, Lucille Sebastian, Deepika Wagh, R. John Simes, PAEAN Study Investigators, Shannon Clough, Jennifer Bowen, Paul Colditz, Girsih Deshpande, Lisa Gold, Wendy Hague, Kei Lui, Dominic Wilkinson, Nicola Austin, Sarah Bellhouse, Max Berry, Clare Collins, Amanda Dyson, Antonio G de Paoli, Koert de Waal, Bevan Headley, Leah Hickey, James Holberton, David Hou, Alison L Kent, Vinayak Kodur, Richard Mausling, Scott Morris, Arun Nair, David Osborn, Victor Samuel Rajadurai, Nadia Schmidt, Jason Tan, Mark B Tracy, Flora Y Wong, Sarah Finlayson, Shannon Hunt, Carbo Yeung, Laurence Ralston

  • October 1, 2026

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