Neonatal Intensive Care Nurseries in Pacific Rim Countries: Differences in Clinical Practices and Neonatal Mortality. † 1210

A multicenter study comparing outcomes for very low birth weight infants(<1501g) in Pacific Rim nurseries was undertaken. Centers collected prospective data for all liveborn infants beginning January 1996. Data were collected for gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), 5 minute Apgars, use of antenatal steroids (AS), cesarean rates (CS, surfactant use (Surf), and death. CRIB scores were derived from these data. Centers had similar mean BW (p=0.4). SFGH had less mature infants (p=0.03) and a lower distribution of Apgar scores, as well as the highest mortality. There was significant differences in clinical practices in the use of AS and Surf. Table

Table 1 Table: Apgars and CRIB scores are shown as medians. BW and GA are mean± SEM. *(P<0.05)

Conclusion: There are differences in mortality and in clinical practices when comparing these centers. Variation in clinical practices (use of AS and Surf) do not appear to explain the differences in mortality observed between these nurseries. Work supported by grant from the University of California.