Permissive Hypotension in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants (< or =1000 gm)

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the safety of permissive hypotension management in extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWIs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of all inborn ELBWIs admitted to Samsung Medical Center from January 2004 to December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Of a total of 261 ELBWIs, 47 (18%) required treatment for hypotension (group T), 110 (42%) remained normotensive (group N), and 104 (40%) experienced more than one episode of hypotension without treatment (group P) during the first 72 hours of life. Treatment of hypotension included inotropic support and/or fluid loading. RESULTS: Birth weight and Apgar scores were significantly lower in the T group than the other two groups. In the N group, the rate of pathologically confirmed maternal chorioamnionitis was significantly higher than other two groups, and the rate was higher in the P group than the T group. After adjusting for covariate factors, no significant differences in mortality and major morbidities were found between the N and P groups. However, the mortality rate and the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (> or =stage 3) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (> or =moderate) were significantly higher in the T group than the other two groups. Long term neurodevelopmental outcomes were not significantly different between the N and P groups. CONCLUSION: Close observation of hypotensive ELBWIs who showed good clinical perfusion signs without intervention allowed to avoid unnecessary medications and resulted in good neurological outcomes.

Recién nacido de peso extremo / The extreme weight newborn

El nacimiento y atención de los recién nacidos de extremo bajo peso constituyen hoy día un reto para los perinatólogos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de todos los neonatos con peso inferior a 1 000 g al nacer y que fueron atendidos en el Servicio de Cuidados Neonatales del Hospital Ginecoobstétrico Provincial Docente Mariana Grajales de Villa Clara durante los años 2000 a 2008, con el objetivo de describir su comportamiento desde el punto de vista perinatológico. Asimismo identificar y relacionar variables maternas y neonatales en este grupo de peso así como describir incidencia de la morbilidad y mortalidad en los neonatos con peso inferior a 1 000 g. Para ello se realizó observación documental y se confeccionó instrumento aplicado a los 24 neonatos de este grupo nacidos en dicho período. Se incluyeron variables relacionadas con antecedentes perinatales, morbilidad y mortalidad que dieron salida a los objetivos planteados, se confeccionaron tablas para expresar los resultados. La incidencia del recién nacido de extremo bajo peso fue baja (0,07 por ciento del total de nacidos vivos), la mayoría nacieron antes de las 30 semanas de edad gestacional (78 por ciento) y el peso frecuente entre 900 y 999 g (67 por ciento). Estos pacientes presentaron como morbilidad frecuente: la enfermedad de membrana hialina y apnea, infecciones generalizadas, íctero fisiológico agravado, trastornos metabólicos (hipoglicemia, acidosis metabólica), apgar bajo al nacer y anemia. Necesitaron ventiloterapia el 50 por ciento de los niños, motivada por la enfermedad de membrana hialina y las infecciones, entre otras; la supervivencia fue del 70,8 por ciento (17 pacientes) y las causas de mortalidad fueron diversas

Birth and very low-weight newborn care are nowadays a challenge for perinatology specialists. A retrospective and descriptive study was conducted in all neonates weighing less than 1 000 g at birth seen in Neonatal Care Service of Mariana Grajales Teaching Provincial Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital of Villa aClara province from 2000 to 2008 to describe its behavior from the perinatology point of view, as well as to identify and to relate the maternal and neonatal variables in this weight group and to describe the morbidity and mortality incidence in neonates weighing less than 1 000 g. Thus, we made a documentary observation designing an instrument applied to 24 neonates born during such period. Included are the variable related to perinatal backgrounds, morbidity and mortality yielded the proposed objectives; results are expressed in tables. The very low weight newborn incidence was low (0.,07 percent of all the live birth) most of them born before 30 weeks of gestational age (78 percent) and a frequent weight between 900 and 999 g (67 percent). These patients had a frequent morbidity: hyaline membrane disease and apnea, systemic infections, severe physiologic icterus, metabolic disorders (hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis) a low Apgar score at birth and anemia. The 50 percent of children needed ventilation therapy due to hyaline membrane disease and infections among others; survival was of 70,8 percent (17 patients) and mortality causes were diverse