Abstract
Infants with BW <1500gm discharged from LAC-USC nursery during a 15 month period(Oct.72-Dec.73)were followed to assess the continuing morbidity and mortality of the LBW infant. Of 101 infants, 5 were lost to followup, 7 were cared for by private physicians and 89 were followed by a clinic team of pediatric nurse practitioners, pediatricians, and social workers. Four infants died for a mortality of 4.5%. Significant medical morbidity requiring 48 hospitalizations occurred in 19 infants. Failure to thrive and child abuse were found in 9 infants. Outcome morbidity and mortality were related to severity of neonatal respirator disease. 21 of 89(23.6%) infants required respirator therapy in the nursery. 2 of 4 deaths were in infants treated with respirators during the newborn period. Significant morbidity requiring 1 or more hospitalization occurred in 10 or 45% of respirator infants compared with 9 or 13.3% of non-respirator infants. Failure to thrive and child abuse were found in 1(or 4.6%)respirator infant compared with 8(11.7%)non-respirator infants. The LBW newborn continues to be at high risk for morbidity and mortality after discharge. Infants requiring ventilatory assistance had a higher incidence of morbidity and mortality. Mortality seemed less related to nursery course than to post-natal events.
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Teberg, A., Hodgman, J. & Dowd, E. THE CONTINUUM OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN THE LOW BIRTH WEIGHT(LBW) INFANT. Pediatr Res 8, 451 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00667
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00667
