Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology
Predictors of mortality and severity of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy among neonates with birth asphyxia at Jimma University Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study
By Kulute TF and Solbana LK.
Abstract
Background
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a major cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence regarding HIE severity, survival outcomes, and predictors of mortality remains limited in Ethiopia. This study assessed the severity, survival outcomes, and predictors of mortality among neonates with HIE admitted to Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC), Southwest Ethiopia.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 373 neonates diagnosed with HIE following birth asphyxia and admitted to Jimma University Medical Center(JUMC). Data were extracted from medical records using a structured checklist. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test were used to estimate and compare survival experiences. Cox proportional hazards regression identified predictors of mortality, while ordinal logistic regression was employed to determine factors associated with increasing HIE severity. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05.