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Abou Mehrem A, Toye J, Beltempo M, Aziz K, Bizgu V, Wong J, Singhal N, Shah PS. Process and Outcome Measures for Infants Born Moderate and Late Preterm in Tertiary Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units. J Pediatr 2024; 269:113976. [PMID: 38401787 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of and between-center variations in care practices and clinical outcomes of moderate and late preterm infants (MLPIs) admitted to tertiary Canadian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study including infants born at 320/7 through 366/7 weeks of gestation and admitted to 25 NICUs participating in the Canadian Neonatal Network between 2015 and 2020. Patient characteristics, process measures represented by care practices, and outcome measures represented by clinical in-hospital and discharge outcomes were reported by gestational age weeks. NICUs were compared using indirect standardization after adjustment for patient characteristics. RESULTS Among 25 669 infants (17% of MLPIs born in Canada during the study period) included, 45% received deferred cord clamping, 7% had admission hypothermia, 47% received noninvasive respiratory support, 11% received mechanical ventilation, 8% received surfactant, 40% received antibiotics in the first 3 days, 4% did not receive feeding in the first 2 days, and 77% had vascular access. Mortality, early-onset sepsis, late-onset sepsis, or necrotizing enterocolitis occurred in <1% of the study cohort. Median (IQR) length of stay was 14 (9-21) days among infants discharged home from the admission hospital and 5 (3-9) days among infants transferred to community hospitals. Among infants discharged home, 33% were discharged on exclusive breastmilk and 75% on any breastmilk. There were significant variations between NICUs in all process and outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS Care practices and outcomes of MLPIs varied significantly between Canadian NICUs. Standardization of process and outcome quality measures for this population will enable benchmarking and research, facilitating systemwide improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Abou Mehrem
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Jennifer Toye
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Marc Beltempo
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Khalid Aziz
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Victoria Bizgu
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nalini Singhal
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Prakesh S Shah
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Salazar EG, Passarella M, Formanowski B, Phibbs CS, Lorch SA, Handley SC. The impact of volume and neonatal level of care on outcomes of moderate and late preterm infants. J Perinatol 2024:10.1038/s41372-024-01901-x. [PMID: 38413758 PMCID: PMC11347722 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01901-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evaluate the relationship of neonatal unit level of care (LOC) and volume with mortality or morbidity in moderate-late preterm (MLP) (32-36 weeks' gestation) infants. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study of 650,865 inborn MLP infants in 4976 hospitals-years using 2003-2015 linked administrative data from 4 states. Exposure was combined neonatal LOC and MLP annual volume. The primary outcome was death or morbidity (respiratory distress syndrome, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, infection, pneumothorax, extreme length of stay) with components as secondary outcomes. Poisson regression models adjusted for patient characteristics with a random effect for unit were used. RESULTS In adjusted models, high-volume level 2 units had a lower risk of the primary outcome compared to low-volume level 3 units (aIRR 0.90 [95% CI 0.83-0.98] vs. aIRR 1.13 [95% CI 1.03-1.24], p < 0.001) CONCLUSION: MLP infants had improved outcomes in high-volume level 2 units compared to low-volume level 3 units in adjusted analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Salazar
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Molly Passarella
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brielle Formanowski
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ciaran S Phibbs
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Scott A Lorch
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sara C Handley
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Handley SC, Salazar EG, Kunz SN, Lorch SA, Edwards EM. Transfer Patterns Among Infants Born at 28 to 34 Weeks' Gestation. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023063118. [PMID: 38268423 PMCID: PMC10827647 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-063118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although postnatal transfer patterns among high-risk (eg, extremely preterm or surgical) infants have been described, transfer patterns among lower-risk populations are unknown. The objective was to examine transfer frequency, indication, timing, and trajectory among very and moderate preterm infants. METHODS Observational study of the US Vermont Oxford Network all NICU admissions database from 2016 to 2021 of inborn infants 280/7 to 346/7 weeks. Infants' first transfer was assessed by gestational age, age at transfer, reason for transfer, and transfer trajectory. RESULTS Across 467 hospitals, 294 229 infants were eligible, of whom 12 552 (4.3%) had an initial disposition of transfer. The proportion of infants transferred decreased with increasing gestational age (9.6% [n = 1415] at 28 weeks vs 2.4% [n = 2646] at 34 weeks) as did the median age at time of transfer (47 days [interquartile range 30-73] at 28 weeks vs 8 days [interquartile range 3-16] at 34 weeks). The median post menstrual age at transfer was 34 or 35 weeks across all gestational ages. The most common reason for transfer was growth or discharge planning (45.0%) followed by medical and diagnostic services (30.2%), though this varied by gestation. In this cohort, 42.7% of transfers were to a higher-level unit, 10.2% to a same-level unit, and 46.7% to a lower-level unit, with indication reflecting access to specific services. CONCLUSIONS Over 4% of very and moderate preterm infants are transferred. In this population, the median age of transfer is later and does not reflect immediate care needs after birth, but rather the provision of risk-appropriate care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara C. Handley
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth G. Salazar
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sarah N. Kunz
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Scott A. Lorch
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Erika M. Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, Larner College of Medicine, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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de Almeida MFB, Sanudo A, Areco KN, Balda RDCX, Costa-Nobre DT, Kawakami MD, Konstantyner T, Marinonio ASS, Miyoshi MH, Bandiera-Paiva P, Freitas RMV, Morais LCC, Teixeira MLP, Waldvogel B, Kiffer CRV, Guinsburg R. Temporal Trend, Causes, and Timing of Neonatal Mortality of Moderate and Late Preterm Infants in São Paulo State, Brazil: A Population-Based Study. CHILDREN 2023; 10:children10030536. [PMID: 36980094 PMCID: PMC10047302 DOI: 10.3390/children10030536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Moderate and late preterm newborns comprise around 85% of live births < 37 weeks gestation. Data on their neonatal mortality in middle-income countries is limited. This study aims to analyze the temporal trend, causes and timing of neonatal mortality of infants with 320/7–366/7 weeks gestation without congenital anomalies from 2004–2015 in the population of São Paulo State, Brazil. A database was built by deterministic linkage of birth and death certificates. Causes of death were classified by ICD-10 codes. Among 7,317,611 live births in the period, there were 545,606 infants with 320/7–366/7 weeks gestation without congenital anomalies, and 5782 of them died between 0 and 27 days. The neonatal mortality rate decreased from 16.4 in 2004 to 7.6 per thousand live births in 2015 (7.47% annual decrease by Prais–Winsten model). Perinatal asphyxia, respiratory disorders and infections were responsible, respectively, for 14%, 27% and 44% of the 5782 deaths. Median time to death was 24, 53 and 168 h, respectively, for perinatal asphyxia, respiratory disorders, and infections. Bottlenecks in perinatal health care are probably associated with the results that indicate the need for policies to reduce preventable neonatal deaths of moderate and late preterm infants in the most developed state of Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriana Sanudo
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Kelsy N. Areco
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Rita de Cássia X. Balda
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniela T. Costa-Nobre
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Mandira D. Kawakami
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Tulio Konstantyner
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Sílvia S. Marinonio
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Milton H. Miyoshi
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo Bandiera-Paiva
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosa M. V. Freitas
- Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Liliam C. C. Morais
- Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Ruth Guinsburg
- Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Salazar EG, Handley SC, Greenberg LT, Edwards EM, Lorch SA. Association Between Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Type and Quality of Care in Moderate and Late Preterm Infants. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:278-285. [PMID: 36648939 PMCID: PMC9857785 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Importance A higher level of care improves outcomes in extremely and very preterm infants, yet the impact of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) level on moderate and late preterm (MLP) care quality is unknown. Objective To examine the association between NICU type and care quality in MLP (30-36 weeks' gestation) and extremely and very preterm (25-29 weeks' gestation) infants. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study was a prospective analysis of 433 814 premature infants born in 465 US hospitals between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, without anomalies and who survived more than 12 hours and were transferred no more than once. Data were from the Vermont Oxford Network all NICU admissions database. Exposures NICU types were defined as units with ventilation restrictions without surgery (type A with restrictions, similar to American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] level 2 NICUs), without surgery (type A) and with surgery not requiring cardiac bypass (type B, similar to AAP level 3 NICUs), and with all surgery (type C, similar to AAP level 4 NICUs). Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was gestational age (GA)-specific composite quality measures using Baby-Measure of Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research (Baby-MONITOR) for extremely and very preterm infants and an adapted MLP quality measure for MLP infants. Secondary outcomes were individual component measures of each scale. Composite scores were standardized observed minus expected scores, adjusted for patient characteristics, averaged, and expressed with a mean of 0 and SD of 1. Between May 2021 and October 2022, Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare scores by NICU type. Results Among the 376 219 MLP (204 181 [54.3%] male, 172 038 [45.7%] female; mean [SD] GA, 34.2 [1.7] weeks) and 57 595 extremely and very preterm (30 173 [52.4%] male, 27 422 [47.6%] female; mean [SD] GA, 27.7 [1.4] weeks) infants included, 6.6% received care in type A NICUs with restrictions, 29.3% in type A NICUs without restrictions, 39.7% in type B NICUs, and 24.4% in type C NICUs. The MLP infants had lower MLP-QM scores in type C NICUs (median [IQR]: type A with restrictions, 0.4 [-0.1 to 0.8]; type A, 0.4 [-0.4 to 0.9]; type B, 0.1 [-0.7 to 0.7]; type C, -0.7 [-1.6 to 0.4]; P < .001). No significant differences were found in extremely and very preterm Baby-MONITOR scores by NICU type. In type C NICUs, MLP infants had lower scores in no extreme length of stay and change-in-weight z score. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, composite quality scores were lower for MLP infants in type C NICUs, whereas extremely and very preterm composite quality scores were similar across NICU types. Policies facilitating care for MLP infants at NICUs with less complex subspecialty services may improve care quality delivered to this prevalent, at-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G. Salazar
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sara C. Handley
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Lucy T. Greenberg
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Erika M. Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, The University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Scott A. Lorch
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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