Medications and in-hospital outcomes in infants born at 22-24 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the most commonly used medications and in-hospital morbidities and mortality in infants born 22-24 weeks of gestation. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective cohort study of infants born 22-24 weeks of gestation (2006-2016), without major congenital anomalies and with available medication data obtained from neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group. RESULTS: This study included 7578 infants from 195 sites. Median (25th, 75th percentile): birthweight was 610 g (540, 680); the number of distinct medications used was 13 (8, 18); and different antimicrobial exposure was 4 (2, 5). The most common morbidities were BPD (41%) and grade III or IV IVH (20%), and overall survival varied from 46% (2006) to 57% (2016). CONCLUSIONS: A large number of medications were used in periviable infants. There was a high prevalence of in-hospital morbidities, and survival of this population increased over the study period.

Duke Scholars

Author Noelle Elizabeth Younge Pediatrics, Neonatology

Author Daniel Kelly Benjamin Jr. Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases

Author Kanecia Obie Zimmerman Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine

Author Rachel Gottron Greenberg Pediatrics, Neonatology