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Prophylactic theophylline for the prevention of severe renal dysfunction in term and post-term neonates with perinatal asphyxia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Journal of Perinatology, 08/01/2012
Evidence Based Medicine
Al–Wassia H et al. – The meta–analysis provides evidence that prophylactic theophylline significantly reduce the incidence of severe renal dysfunction. However, because of the lack of information on the long–term renal and neurodevelopmental outcome and measured theophylline levels with relation to adverse effects observed, prudence with the clinical use of prophylactic theophylline is required. Additionally, the included trials were prior to the era of therapeutic hypothermia and thus inference of renal benefit in an infant undergoing hypothermia therapy cannot be made.