J Perinatol. 2025 Sep 18. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02431-w. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyse trends of outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born after 27 weeks of gestation over 15 years in South Wales, UK.
STUDY DESIGN: Trends of clinical outcomes were analysed by deriving multivariable logistic regression models and presented as odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A p-value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2021, 2321 infants were included in the cohort. There was a decline in the incidence of mortality (aOR 0.941; 95% CI 0.895, 0.988), severe brain injury (0.937; 0.893, 0.982), necrotising enterocolitis (0.911; 0.862, 0.964) and sepsis (0.949; 0.920, 0.978). At birth, odds of mechanical ventilation (0.909; 0.888, 0.930) & receipt of surfactant (0.920; 0.899, 0.942), and mechanical ventilation after admission (0.940; 0.919, 0.961) were significantly reduced. Analysis of a subgroup of 1797 preterm infants born before 32 weeks suggested significant improvement in all major outcomes studied.
DISCUSSION: Trends of care patterns and outcomes improved over time in this cohort of VLBW infants in South Wales, especially preterm infants below 32 weeks of gestation.
PMID:40968140 | DOI:10.1038/s41372-025-02431-w
