Evaluation of Perinatal and Management Factors Associated with Improved Survival in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants / 소아과

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate recent improvements in the survival rate of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants and to identify perinatal and management factors that are associated with improved survival. METHODS: Two groups of ELBW infants who were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during two distinct eras November 1994-December 1999 (Period 1 n=100) and January 2000-April 2004 (Period 2 n=166) were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Despite the younger gestational age and smaller birth weight of the ELBW infants in period 2, not only did their survival rate increased to 75 percent from 60 percent in period 1, but their incidence of morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, confimed sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage (> or =Grade III) also declined. Factors significantly associated with improved survival included the use of antenatal steroids, a longer duration of nasal continuous positive airway pressure and the absence of intraventricular hemorrhage (> or =Grade III). CONCLUSION: We believe that optimized clinical practice, that emphasized less invasive care, contributed to the recent improvements in the survival rate of ELBW infants.