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  • Title: Can delivery room management impact the length of hospital stay in premature infants?
    Author: Aly H, Massaro AN, El-Mohandes AA.
    Journal: J Perinatol; 2006 Oct; 26(10):593-6. PubMed ID: 16855619.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of initiating early nasal continuous positive airway pressure (ENCPAP) on the length of hospital stay (LOS) for the very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN: LOS at the George Washington University Hospital (GW) after the institution of ENCPAP policy was compared to benchmark values using two-tail t-tests. The incidence of neonatal morbidity was calculated using Bonferroni corrected 95% confidence interval as compared to benchmark rates (alpha=0.001). Comparisons were repeated after stratification of the population into four birth weight subcategories: group A (GrpA) (501 to 750 g), GrpB (751 to 1000 g), GrpC (1001 to 1250 g) and GrpD (1251 to 1500 g). RESULTS: We studied 228 consecutive VLBW infants (birth weight: 995+/-294 g and gestational age: 27.7+/-2.7 weeks). Compared to benchmark values, the GW experience was associated with a significant reduction of 5.1 days in LOS (55.9+/-25.2 vs 61+/-32 days; P=0.04). The decrease in LOS was consistent in all subgroups, but was most noticeable in infants of the smallest weight subcategory (LOS in GrpA=86+/-21 vs 104+/-32, P=0.004; in GrpB=69.9+/-16.7 vs 79+/-27, P=0.018; in GrpC=48.2+/-13 vs 56+/-22, P<0.001 and in GrpD=31.7+/-12.5 vs 40+/-19, P=0.003). In the overall population, a lower incidence of chronic lung disease (CLD) (17.8 vs 29%, P<0.001) was also noted. There were no differences in mortality rates (9 vs 14%), or the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (8 vs 6%) or intraventricular hemorrhage (6.2 vs 9%) between GW and the established benchmark rates. CONCLUSION: ENCPAP may reduce LOS in VLBW infants in our study population. This relatively shorter LOS was associated with a lower incidence of CLD, which may be a contributing factor.
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