Variable responses to hypothermic neuroprotection are related to the clinical heterogeneity of encephalopathic babies; hence better disease stratification may facilitate the development of individualized neuroprotective therapies.

We examined if whole blood gene expression analysis can identify specific transcriptome profiles in neonatal encephalopathy.

We performed next-generation sequencing on whole blood RNA from 12 babies with neonatal encephalopathy and 6 time-matched healthy term babies.

Genes significantly differentially expressed between encephalopathic and control babies were identified.

This set of genes was then compared to the host RNA response in septic neonates and subjected to pathway analysis.