NEONATAL READMISSION FOLLOWING EARLY DISCHARGE FROM NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IN AL GALAA TEACHING HOSPITAL

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

Objectives : The purpose of our study was to characterize early rehospitalization   (within 2 weeks )  among infants early discharged ( within 4 days ) from the NICU.
Subjects & Methods: This is a retrospective case study where we recruited all newborns admitted to our regional neonatal care unit at AL Galaa Teaching Hospital over a 6 months period from 1st  January 2012 to 30th June 2012. Neonates discharged from the NICU within 4ds age were assigned into two groups according to whether readmitted (within 14 ds) after discharge  have occurred (group I), or no readmission took place (group II). Group II cases were considered as control group when studying factors underlying and prognosis of newborn readmission.
Results: A total of 350 newborns were recruited in this study, Group I were 40 neonates and group II were 310 neonates .The incidence of readmission among our study population was 11.4 % over the study period. Mean timing of readmission was 2.32 days following discharge, and mean duration of hospital stay  after readmission was 6.5 days. There is statistically significant difference between two groups as regards the mode of delivery, apgar score, need for resuscitation ,gestational age and birth weight. But not maternal disease. The major cause of readmission was jaundice (40%) followed by sepsis (27.5%), feeding problems (12.5%) then respiratory problems (10%) and lastly convulsions and congenital heart diseases (5% each). The mean serum bilirubin was statistically significant higher in group I cases than group II. There was an inverse relationship between neonatal readmission rate and average length of hospital stay at birth.
Conclusion: Decreases in newborn length of stay may result in substantial increases in morbidity however timing of newborn discharge should be determined on individual basis

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