Hypothermia and adverse outcomes during the transfer of extremely low birth weight infants: Hypothermia during transfer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hypothermia and adverse outcomes during the transfer of extremely low birth weight infants

T2 - Hypothermia during transfer

AU - Ogunna, Uche

AU - Mohinuddin, Syed

AU - Ratnavel, Nandiran

AU - Greenough, Anne

AU - Dassios, Theodore

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2023/11

Y1 - 2023/11

N2 - Aim: We aimed to explore whether hypothermia during the transfer of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants was associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of transfers of ELBW infants by the London Neonatal Transfer Service between April 2015 and January 2017. Hypothermia was defined as an axillary temperature below 36.5°C. Results: Hypothermia was recorded in 36–47% of the 146 transfers depending on the time point of measurement from admission at the referring unit to admission at the receiving unit. Infants with hypothermia had a lower gestational age [25.1 (24.1–26.6) versus 26.0 (25.3–27.0) weeks, p < 0.001], birth weight [750 (600–830) versus 800 (730–885) gr, p = 0.004) and age at referral [1 (0.8–3) versus 1.5 (1–4) hours, p = 0.049] compared to infants without hypothermia. Infants with hypothermia had a longer median (IQR) duration of invasive ventilation [22(6–44) days] compared to infants without hypothermia [10 (4–21) days, p = 0.002]. Infants with hypothermia had a higher incidence of a patent ductus arteriosus and mortality before discharge from neonatal care compared to infants without hypothermia (79% vs. 27%, p = 0.043 and 29% vs. 13%, p = 0.025, respectively). Conclusion: Among ELBW infants, hypothermia during transfer was common, particularly in infants of lower gestational age. Hypothermia was associated with a longer duration of ventilation and increased mortality before discharge from neonatal care.

AB - Aim: We aimed to explore whether hypothermia during the transfer of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants was associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of transfers of ELBW infants by the London Neonatal Transfer Service between April 2015 and January 2017. Hypothermia was defined as an axillary temperature below 36.5°C. Results: Hypothermia was recorded in 36–47% of the 146 transfers depending on the time point of measurement from admission at the referring unit to admission at the receiving unit. Infants with hypothermia had a lower gestational age [25.1 (24.1–26.6) versus 26.0 (25.3–27.0) weeks, p < 0.001], birth weight [750 (600–830) versus 800 (730–885) gr, p = 0.004) and age at referral [1 (0.8–3) versus 1.5 (1–4) hours, p = 0.049] compared to infants without hypothermia. Infants with hypothermia had a longer median (IQR) duration of invasive ventilation [22(6–44) days] compared to infants without hypothermia [10 (4–21) days, p = 0.002]. Infants with hypothermia had a higher incidence of a patent ductus arteriosus and mortality before discharge from neonatal care compared to infants without hypothermia (79% vs. 27%, p = 0.043 and 29% vs. 13%, p = 0.025, respectively). Conclusion: Among ELBW infants, hypothermia during transfer was common, particularly in infants of lower gestational age. Hypothermia was associated with a longer duration of ventilation and increased mortality before discharge from neonatal care.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85167615067

U2 - 10.1111/apa.16936

DO - 10.1111/apa.16936

M3 - Article

SN - 0803-5253

VL - 112

SP - 2317

EP - 2321

JO - Acta Paediatrica

JF - Acta Paediatrica

IS - 11

ER -