Ethnic inequity in neonatal survival: a case-referent study in northern Vietnam

Aim: In this study from Quang Ninh province in northern Vietnam (sub‐study of the trial Neonatal Health – Knowledge into Practice, NeoKIP, ISRCTN 44599712), we investigated determinants of neonatal mortality through a case‐referent design, with special emphasis on socio‐economic factors and health system utilization. Methods: From July 2008 until December 2009, we included 183 neonatal mortality cases and 599 referents and their mothers were interviewed. Results: Ethnicity was the main socio‐economic determinant for neonatal mortality (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.39–3.10, adjusted for mothers’ education and household economic status). Health system utilization before and at delivery could partly explain the risk elevation, with an increased risk of neonatal mortality for mothers who did not attend antenatal care and who delivered at home (OR 4.79, 95% CI 2.98–7.71). However, even if mothers of an ethnic minority attended antenatal care or delivered at a health facility, the increased risk for this group was sustained. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates inequity in neonatal survival that is related to ethnicity rather than family economy or education level of the mother and highlights the need to include the ethnic dimension in the efforts to reduce neonatal mortality.     

Retinopathy of prematurity: review of a seven-year period in a Danish neonatal intensive care unit

Arrae M, Peitersen B. Retinopathy of prematurity: review of a seven-year period in a Danish neonatal intensive care unit. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:501–5. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253
In the period 1985–1991, 21675 infants were born at the University Hospital of Copenhagen, Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark. Two hundred and twenty-four infants (10.3%) with birth weights 1500 g and gestational ages 32 completed weeks were transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital. One hundred and eighty survived to at least 8 weeks of age and 170 had eye examinations. Forty-five of the 170 infants examined (26.5%) had retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and 18 (40%) of these developed blindness or severely impaired vision, a higher incidence than reported in other studies. Significant differences were found between infants with and without ROP for: birth weight, gestational age, Apgar score at 1 min, resuscitation, ventilator treatment, duration of supplementary oxygen, severe complications in the neonatal period and sequels from the central nervous system. Statistical analyses, corrected for correlations, showed that the occurrence of ROP was related significantly to early intubation, hypotension, persistent ductus arteriosus and necrotizing enterocolitis.     

Persistent neonatal mortality despite improved under-five survival: a retrospective cohort study in northern Vietnam

AIM: To examine trends in neonatal, infant and under-five mortality rates in a northern Vietnamese district during 1970-2000, and to analyze socioeconomic differences in child survival over time. METHODS: Retrospective interviews with all women aged 15-54 years in Bavi district in Northern Vietnam (n = 14 329) were conducted. Of these women, 13 943 had been pregnant, giving birth to 26 796 children during 1970-2000. RESULTS: There was a dramatic reduction in infant and under-five mortality rate (47%) over time. However, the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) showed a very small reduction, thus causing its proportion of the total child mortality to increase. Mortality trends followed the political and socioeconomic development of Vietnam over war, peace and periods of reforms. There were no differences in under-five and neonatal mortalities associated with family economy, while differentials related to mothers' education and ethnicity were increasing. CONCLUSION: Interventions to reduce child mortality should be focused on improving neonatal care. In settings with a rapid economic growth and consequent social change, like in Vietnam, it is important that such interventions are targeted at vulnerable groups, in this case, families with low level of education and belonging to ethnic minorities.     

Cause-specific neonatal mortality in a neonatal care unit in Northern Tanzania: a registry based cohort study

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The current decline in under-five mortality shows an increase in share of neonatal deaths. In order to address neonatal mortality and possibly identify areas of prevention and intervention, we studied causes of admission and cause-specific neonatal mortality in a neonatal care unit at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania. METHODS: A total of 5033 inborn neonates admitted to a neonatal care unit (NCU) from 2000 to 2010 registered at the KCMC Medical Birth Registry and neonatal registry were studied. Clinical diagnosis, gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score and date at admission and discharge were registered. Cause-specific of neonatal deaths were classified by modified Wigglesworth classification. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: Leading causes of admission were birth asphyxia (26.8%), prematurity (18.4%), risk of infection (16.9%), neonatal infection (15.4%), and birth weight above 4000 g (10.7%). Overall mortality was 10.7% (536 deaths). Leading single causes of death were birth asphyxia (n = 245, 45.7%), prematurity (n = 188, 35.1%), congenital malformations (n = 49, 9.1%), and infections (n = 46, 8.6%). Babies with birth weight below 2500 g constituted 29% of all admissions and 52.1% of all deaths. Except for congenital malformations, case fatality declined with increasing birth weight. Birth asphyxia was the most frequent cause of death in normal birth weight babies (n = 179/246, 73.1%) and prematurity in low birth weight babies (n = 178/188, 94.7%). The majority of deaths (n = 304, 56.7%) occurred within 24 hours, and 490 (91.4%) within the first week. CONCLUSIONS: Birth asphyxia in normal birth weight babies and prematurity in low birth weight babies each accounted for one third of all deaths in this population. The high number of deaths attributable to birth asphyxia in normal birth weight babies suggests further studies to identify causal mechanisms. Strategies directed towards making obstetric and newborn care timely available with proper antenatal, maternal and newborn care support with regular training on resuscitation skills would improve child survival.     

Cessation of smoking during pregnancy improves foetal growth and reduces infant morbidity in the neonatal period. A population-based prospective study

All pregnant women in Uppsala county in 1987 were questioned on three different occasions about smoking habits, socio-demographic factors and obstetric history. After delivery, information was collected regarding their children. Twenty percent of the mothers continued to smoke during pregnancy, while 8% stopped smoking. The mean birth weight of infants of smokers was 3378 g and of non-smokers 3589 g. The difference was significant ( p < 0.001) and persisted after statistical adjustment for maternal age, parity and educational level. Perinatal morbidity (admission to the Department of Neonatology) was higher in thc smoking group (11.4% versus 8.8%, p < 0.05). The proportion of infants with a birth weight less than 2500 g and that of small-for-gestational-age infants were 60% and 100% greater, respectively, in the smoking group. The mean birth weight and perinatal morbidity rate in infants of mothers who stopped smoking were almost identical to those in infants of non-smokers. Cessation of smoking improves foetal growth and perinatal health.     

Medical care costs of high-risk infants after neonatal intensive care: a controlled study

Total medical care costs were studied prospectively from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge to 3 years of age for 60 children, 35 of whom had neurologic and/or developmental deficits detected immediately following NICU discharge and 25 children did not. At the end of the study period the children were classified as unhandicapped (group A), mildly handicapped (group B), or moderately-severely handicapped (group C). Medical costs are reported per infant per month following NICU discharge (mean +/- SD). The outpatient costs in group A were $31 +/- 23 as compared with $86 +/- 93 in group B and $109 +/- 59 in group C (A less than B, A less than C; P less than .001). The greatest contributor to outpatient costs was occupational and physical therapy (with unproven efficiency to date). The inpatient costs were $31 +/- 56 in group A, $328 +/- 574 in group B, and $542 +/- 737 in group C (A less than C; P less than .01). The US Department of Agriculture estimates of medical costs of raising a child at home ranges from $22 to $26.80 per month. The cost of raising one of our NICU infants in an institution was $1,216 per month. Children with and without neurodevelopmental deficits after NICU discharge have significantly higher medical costs than children without.     

Approach to seizures in the neonatal period: a European perspective

In the neonatal period, seizures rank among the most common neurological symptoms, often indicating an underlying serious neurological condition. It is remarkable that although new tools have been incorporated into the diagnosis of neonatal seizures, there is no consensus about the therapeutic approach among different doctors and institutions. Hence, although phenobarbital is still considered the initial drug of choice, the protocols reported in the literature show a great variability in the approach to treatment of refractory seizures. We used a questionnaire to gain information regarding the treatment of seizures in the neonatal period in different European institutions. Conclusion: We conclude that phenobarbital is still the initial drug of choice followed by benzodiazepines, except in preterm infants with a birth weight below 1800 g. In refractory seizures, the use of continuous lidocaine infusion is most common. Of note, clinical studies with newer drugs have been mostly performed in the United States but not in Europe.     

Changes in the process of care and outcome over a 10-year period in a neonatal nursery in a developing country

BACKGROUND: Over a 10-year period there was increasing involvement by clinicians in the generation and implementation of evidence-based practices in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). For two cohorts of very low birth weight (VLBW) babies admitted 10 years apart to a developing country, NICU were compared and changes occurring in process of care that might have contributed to any change in outcome were documented. METHODS: Prospective data were collected on characteristics, management and complications of all VLBW infants admitted over the same 6-month period in 1993 and 2003 and examined for changes in evidence-based practices and outcome. RESULTS: Compared to the first cohort of 69 babies, 60 babies in the second cohort were significantly more likely to have been inborn (p < 0.001), born by Caesarean section (p = 0.035), to have received antenatal corticosteroids (p < 0.001), to be intubated at birth (p < 0.001) and have a 5 min Apgar score above 6 (p = 0.034). They were also significantly lighter and of lower gestation (p = 0.005). They were significantly more likely to have received surfactant (p < 0.001), to have been ventilated and to have had double prong nasal continuous positive pressure either as a mode of ventilation or for weaning (p < 0.001). Hypothermia on admission was more common in the second cohort (p < 0.001). Survival increased from 62.3% to 81.6% (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Although causality cannot be established, an increase in the use of evidence-based practices was associated with a significant improvement in outcomes. In spite of greater barriers to implementation there are evidence-based strategies that can be put into neonatal practice in developing countries.     

Chylothorax in the neonatal period

Chylothorax is defined as an effusion of lymph in the pleural cavity. In the nconate both congenital and traumatic (iatrogenic) forms exist. Birth asphyxia and respiratory insufficiency are major symptoms of congenital chylothorax, requiring resuscitation and artificial ventilation. Antenatal diagnosis by ultrasound allows carly therapeutic intervention such as ventilatory support and drainage of chylous fluid immediately after birth. Traumatic chylothorax is mainly seen after intrathoracic surgery. Treatment primarily consists of continuous or intermittent drainage of chyle with replacement of fluid-, electrolyte-, and protein losses and parenteral nutrition. Introduction of oral feeding is considered only after a substantial period without chyle production in the pleural cavity and consists of a medium-chain triglyceride containing formula. In a minority of cases surgical intervention is necessary.     

Term neonatal encephalopathy antecedent cerebral palsy: A retrospective population-based study

ObjectiveTo compare the clinical profile of term-born cerebral palsy children with or without antecedent moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy. We hypothesized that antecedent neonatal encephalopathy is associated with a spastic quadriparesis cerebral palsy clinical profile, a higher severity of functional motor impairment, and a greater number of associated comorbidities.MethodsUsing the Quebec Cerebral Palsy Registry, neurologic subtype, Gross Motor Function Classification System stratification, and comorbidities were compared in children with cerebral palsy with and without antecedent neonatal encephalopathy. Differences between groups were evaluated using chi square analysis for categorical variables and student t test for continuous variables.ResultsWe identified 132 children with cerebral palsy born full term over a 4 year-interval (1999–2002 inclusive) within the Quebec Cerebral Palsy Registry, of which 44 (33%) had an antecedent neonatal encephalopathy. Spastic quadriplegia subtype of cerebral palsy and Gross Motor Function Classification System Level III–V (non-independent ambulation) were significantly associated with antecedent neonatal encephalopathy. The mean number of comorbidities experienced was not different in the two groups. Of five documented comorbidities, only severe communication difficulties were found to be associated (p < 0.05) with antecedent neonatal encephalopathy.ConclusionA pattern of increased neuromotor impairment, functional gross motor severity and possible communication difficulties was found in the 33% of children with cerebral palsy born at term and with a history of neonatal encephalopathy.     

Seizures in the neonatal period

OBJECTIVE: To characterize and differentiate neonatal seizures from those that occur at different ages, based on a critical assessment of the available literature and also on the author? clinical experience. SOURCES: Literature review, including up-to-date and classical studies that helped us to better understand clinical, neurophysiological and physiopathological aspects related to seizures in the newborn. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: The authors present clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics of neonatal seizures, discuss their classification, treatment and prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal seizures have a distinct clinical pattern, which justifies the necessity of an appropriate classification. The etiology is predominantly symptomatic and multifactorial; the treatment should follow a routine protocol, and the prognosis seems to be closely related to etiology.