Restrospective evaluation of outcomes for very low birthweight infants

Objective: Aim of this study is to investigate the mortality and early prematurity complications for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants who were admitted to Pediatrics Department Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Gaziosmanpaşa University. Material and Methods: Data are collected retrospectively from 116 VLBW infants who were born in our hospital between January 2013 and February 2021. Prematurity complications and clinical characteristics of subjects are analyzed via descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean±standard deviation, minimum-maximum; and statistical tests such as Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test. Results: Based on the data collected from 116 VLBW infants, 55,2% of the subjects were female, 44,8% were male, mean birth weight was 1231,9±183,8 gr, mean gestational age was 30±2,3 weeks. The mean Apgar 1 and Apgar 5 score was 5,8±1,6 and 7±1,4 respectively. Birth weight for 12,9% of the subjects was between 751-1000 gr, 39,7% was between 1001-1250 gr, 47,4% was between 1251-1500 gr. Gestational age was 23-25 weeks for 2,5% of subjects, 26-29 weeks for 35,3% of subjects, 30-33 weeks for 55,2% of subjects, 34-36 weeks for 6,9% of subjects. Overall, 70,7% of infants had RDS, 6,9% had NEC, 23,3% had PDA, 60,3% had anemia, 54,3% had sepsis, 25,9% had BPD, 19,8% had pneumonia, 74,1% had hyperbilirubinemia; 24,2% had Grade 1 ROP, 10,3% had Grade 2 ROP, 2,6% has Grade 3 ROP; 9,4% had Grade 1 IVH, 1% had Grade 2 IVH, 1,7% had Grade 3 IVH, 1,7% had Grade 4 IVH. Mortality rate was 20,4%. In addition, associations between morbities are presented. Conclusion: Clinical characteristics such as birth weight, 1st and 5th minute Apgar scores, weight gain rate are significantly low; whereas entubation period, time to regain birth-weight, TPN period and duration of hospitalization were significantly higher for the VLBW infants with any of the morbidities. Mortality rate was negatively associated with birth weight and gestational age.