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DOI: 10.1055/a-2061-0059
Birth Weight and Gestational Age as Modifiers of Rehospitalization after Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Admission
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to assess interaction effects between gestational age and birth weight on 30-day unplanned hospital readmission following discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Study Design This is a retrospective study that uses the study site's Children's Hospitals Neonatal Database and electronic health records. Population included patients discharged from a NICU between January 2017 and March 2020. Variables encompassing demographics, gestational age, birth weight, medications, maternal data, and surgical procedures were controlled for. A statistical interaction between gestational age and birth weight was tested for statistical significance.
Results A total of 2,307 neonates were included, with 7.2% readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Statistical interaction between birth weight and gestational age was statistically significant, indicating that the odds of readmission among low birthweight premature patients increase with increasing gestational age, whereas decrease with increasing gestational age among their normal or high birth weight peers.
Conclusion The effect of gestational age on odds of hospital readmission is dependent on birth weight.
Key Points
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Population included patients discharged from a NICU between January 2017 and March 2020.
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A total of 2,307 neonates were included, with 7.2% readmitted within 30 days of discharge.
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The effect of gestational age on odds of hospital readmission is dependent on birth weight.
Keywords
gestational age - hospital readmission - neonatal intensive care unit - neonatology - birth weightPublication History
Received: 23 October 2022
Accepted: 08 March 2023
Accepted Manuscript online:
23 March 2023
Article published online:
18 April 2023
© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
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