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Trends in morbidities of late preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

Journal of Perinatology volume 43, pages 1379–1384 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To characterize demographics and trends in length of stay (LOS), morbidities, and mortality in late preterm infants.

Study design

Cohort study of infants born between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks gestation between 1999 and 2018 without major congenital anomalies at Pediatrix Medical Group neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Results

307,967 infants from 410 NICUs met inclusion criteria. The median (25th–75th percentile) LOS was 11 (8–16) days in the entire period. Postmenstrual age (PMA) at discharge increased during the cohort for all gestational ages (p < 0.001). There was a decrease in invasive ventilation, receipt of phototherapy, and reflux medications observed (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In this large cohort, given 20 years of time for medical advancement, there was no significant improvement in the LOS of late preterm infants. All infants had an increased PMA at discharge, despite multiple practice changes that were observed.

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Fig. 1: Discharges Per Year.
Fig. 2: Length of Hospitalization by Year.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission of Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by the Duke Pediatric Research Scholars Program, Department of Pediatrics, and Duke University School of Medicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Chelsea Lockyear, Rachel G. Greenberg & Samia Aleem

  2. Duke School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Kristi Coe

  3. Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA

    Rachel G. Greenberg

  4. Pediatrix Center for Research, Education, Quality, and Safety, Sunrise, FL, USA

    Reese H. Clark

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Contributions

All authors were involved in the study design, analysis, and manuscript revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. CL contributed to the conception and design of the study, the data interpretation, the manuscript drafting, and the critical revision of the manuscript. KC contributed to the conception and design of the study, the data interpretation, and the critical revision of the manuscript. RHC contributed to the conception and design of the study, the data acquisition, the data interpretation, and the critical revision of the manuscript. RGG contributed to the conception and design of the study, the data analysis and interpretation, and the critical revision of the manuscript. SA had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. SA contributed to the conception and design of the study, the data analysis, the data interpretation, and the critical revision of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Samia Aleem.

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Lockyear, C., Coe, K., Greenberg, R.G. et al. Trends in morbidities of late preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol 43, 1379–1384 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01705-5

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