Economic assessment of neonatal intensive care.

Most of the studies on the costing of neonatal intensive care has concentrated on the costs associated with preterm infants which takes up more than half of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) costs. The focus has been on determining the cost-effectiveness of extreme preterm infants and those at threshold of viability. While the costs of care have an inverse relationship with gestational age (GA) and the lifetime medical costs of the extreme preterm can be as high as $450,000, the total NICU expenditure are skewed towards the care of moderate and late preterm infants who form the main bulk of patients.

The burden of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the incidence of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and predictors of HIE mortality in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods: This was a retrospective study of data from 37 NICUs in the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry in 2012. All newborns with gestational age ≥ 36 weeks, without major congenital malformations and fulfilling the criteria of HIE were included.

Impact and Challenges of Early Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy for Very Low Birth Weight Neonates in a Developing Country.

Background: Early nasal continuous positive airway pressure (EnCPAP) therapy after birth for very low birth weight (VLBW; <1,500 g) neonates has been reported to be beneficial in developed countries. Its benefits in developing countries, such as Malaysia, are unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine EnCPAP rates in 36 neonatal intensive care units of the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry (MNNR) in 2013, to compare the outcomes of VLBW neonates with and without EnCPAP, and to determine whether the availability of CPAP facilities and unit policies played a significant role in EnCPAP rates.

Factors associated with inter-institutional variations in sepsis rates of very-low-birth-weight infants in 34 Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine whether patient loads, infant status on admission and treatment interventions were significantly associated with inter-institutional variations in sepsis rates in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants in the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry (MNNR).

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 3,880 VLBW (≤ 1,500 g) infants admitted to 34 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the MNNR. Sepsis was diagnosed in symptomatic infants with positive blood culture.

Admission hypothermia among VLBW infants in Malaysian NICUs.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of admission hypothermia (AH) among very-low-birth-weight (≤1500 g) infants in 32 Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of all very-low-birth-weight infants admitted and a questionnaire survey of the practice of AH prevention. Of the 3768 (99.

Risk factors associated with outcomes of very low birthweight infants in four Asian countries.

Aim: The study aims to determine the risk factors associated with mortality and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) among very low birthweight infants in 95 neonatal intensive care units in the Asian Network on Maternal and Newborn Health.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using an international collaborative database of 17,595 very low birthweight infants admitted within 28 days of birth between 2003 and 2006 in four Asian countries. Information on the mortality and morbidity of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care units was recorded.

Risk factors associated with necrotising enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW; weight < 1,501 g) infants in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods: This was a retrospective study based on data collected in a standardised format for all VLBW infants born in 2007 (n = 3,601) and admitted to 31 NICUs in Malaysian public hospitals. A diagnosis of NEC was made based on clinical, radiological and/or histopathological evidence of stage II or III, according to Bell's criteria.

Risk factors associated with pneumothorax in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with the development of pneumothorax among infants admitted to the Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods: Twenty-nine of forty NICUs in Malaysian public hospitals participated in the 2006 Malaysian National Neonatal Registry (MNNR). Data of infants from this registry with and without pneumothorax were analysed.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

Objective: To perform a cost-effective analysis on the care of infants between 1000 and 1500 g birthweight (the study group), where outcomes are measured as survival to 1 year of age.

Methodology: This was a multicenter observational study to determine the outcome, cost and cost-effectiveness of neonatal intensive care provided by Ministry of Health (MOH) Pediatric services. A total of 333 patients enrolled were eligible for analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study.