All issues > Volume 31(1); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(1):29-39. Published online January 31, 1988.

The Result of Intensive Care on the very Low Birth Weight Infants(1001~1500gm).

Seo Jeong Kim¹, Ran Namgung¹, Chul Lee¹, Dong Gwan Han¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Received: October 2, 1987;

Abstract

The clinical study on the results of intensive care was performed on the 137 very low birth weight infants with birth weight of 1001-1500 gram who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Severance hospital from 1981 to 1986. The results were as follows. 1) The range of gestational age of very low birth weight infants was from 22 to 40 weeks, most predominantly between 31-32 weeks as 44 cases (32.1%). 2) Major obstetrical complications were cesarean section in 32 cases (27.1%), preeclampsia in 22 cases (18.6%), and premature rupture of membrane in 21 cases (17.8%). 3) Observed morbidities were neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in 53 cases (18.9%), hyaline membrane disease in 41 cases (14.6%) and apnea neonatorum in 37 cases (13.2%). Hyaline membrane disease, sepsis, pneumothorax, pneumonia, and pulmonary hemorrhage were observed more frequently in intensive care group. 4) Overall survival rate for 6 years of 137 very low birth weight infants was 48.2% and survival rate of intensive care group and conservative care group was 32.8% and 60.5% respectively. 5) Survival rates of intensive care group by year showed increasing tendency as 20.0% in 1981, 46. 7% in 1985, and 58.3% in 1986. 6) Follow-up observations were performed in 38 survived infants for the period of 2 months to 5 years and long term sequelaes were observed in about 25%, as quadriplegia, diplegia, convulsive disorder, retrolental fibroplasia, delayed development, squint, and chronic lung disease.

Keywords :Very low birth weight infant, Intensive care