Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Mortality
Systematic review	110 term infants 3 RCTs in this analysis	Mortality 12/58 (21%) with barbiturate (thiopental or phenobarbital) 10/52 (19%) with no drug treatment	RR 1.06 95% CI 0.50 to 2.27		Not significant
RCT	45 asphyxiated neonates (gestational age 34 weeks and over) manifesting hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy in the first 6 hours of life	Mortality 5/25 (20%) with prophylactic phenobarbital (20 mg/kg given within 6 hours after birth 3/20 (15%) with standard treatment	RR 1.33 95% CI 0.36 to 4.92		Not significant