Advances in gender difference in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a hypoxic-ischemic brain damage caused by perinatal asphyxia and hypoxia, causes varying degrees of neurological sequelae. Animal studies have shown that there are significant gender differences in key pathophysiological processes such as inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cell death pathway after hypoxic-ischemic injury. The therapeutic effect of mild hypothermia, erythropoietin, brain-derived nutritional factor and allopurinol on female animals was also significantly better than males. Clinical studies have found that male patients are more likely to have a more serious condition and worse prognosis. Potentially, gender-based management may provide better neuroprotection in perinatal brain injury. This article reviews the current evidence for the gender difference in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and to shed light on current clinical practice.