Causes Of Diseases Associated With The Short-Term Outcome Of Very Low Birth Weight Infant

Objective:To investigate the causes of diseases associated with the short-term outcome of very low birth weight (VLBW) infant and their risk & protective factors.Methods : To explore the critical diseases which can effect the short-term outcome in the Neonatology Department of our hospital from June,2001 to January 2010. Variables associated with these diseases were identified with univariate analysis and a forward stepwise logistic regression.Results:(1)A total of 475 VLBW met the inclusion criteria. The number of VLBW with favorable and poor short-term outcome was 339 (71.37%) and 136 (28.62%) respectively ,and the following diseases are associated with the short-term outcome of VLBW: neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) [11.8%(n=40)vs 38.2%(n=52),χ~2= 43.434, P=0.000]and Pulmonary hemorrhage (PH)[2.9%(n=10) vs 25%(n=34),χ~2= 56.147 ,P=0.000]. (2)The risk factors for development of NRDS are low birth weight(OR= 6.368 ,P=0.000), small for gestational age (SGA) (OR= 5.806 ,P=0.000), history of asphyxia (OR= 2.087 ,P=0.006) and antepartum non-dexamethasone-treated (OR =1.948 ,P=0.014) .The protecting factor is history of premature rupture of membrane (PROM) (OR= 0.419 ,P=0.004).(3)The risk factors for development of PH are NRDS (OR= 10.473 ,P=0.002) and sclerema neonatorum(OR =2.265 ,P=0.027),the protecting factor is PROM(OR=0.1 67 ,P=0.013).Conclusions:Important diseases that can affect short-term outcome of VLBW are NRDS and PH. It`s essential to be vigilant against the risk factors of NRDS and PH for a neonatologist.