Medicina neonatal y pediátrica

Abstracto

Predictors of Respiratory Distress among Neonates Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in a Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, in South Ethiopia. Unmatched case- control

Taye Mezgebu, Zerihun Demisse, Asnakech Zekiwos, Elias Ezo, Tadesse Sahle, Getachew Ossabo

Introduction: Respiratory distress is the most common and serious complication following birth. RD in neonates is a worldwide public health concern. In Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, there are scanty data available regarding risk factors for respiratory distress among neonates.

Objective: To determine predictors of respiratory distress among neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial comprehensive specialized hospital.

Methods: A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted on 417 (139 cases and 278 controls) systematically selected subjects at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive specialized hospital in South Ethiopia from September 1, 2018–August 30, 2021. After collection, the data were entered into EpiData version 4.4.2 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Bivariable and multivariate analyses were done using binary logistic regression. In the multivariate logistic regression model, statistical significance was declared at p 0.05, and the presence and strength of associations were summarized using an adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals.

Result: Overall, 417 (139 cases and 278 controls) neonates who attended the NICU were included with a 100% response rate. Neonates who were born from meconium-stained amniotic fluid mothers (AOR = 12.56; CI: 5.47– 28.84), non-vertex presentation (AOR = 4.35; CI: 1.56–12.14), PROM (AOR = 3.21; CI: 1.010–10.18), obstructed labour (AOR = 3.04; CI: 1.477–6.28), maternal infection (AOR = 7.12; 95% CI: 3.04–16.64), and neonates with an Apgar score less than 7 in the first minute (AOR = 7.83; CI: 3.676–16.66) were found to have an independent association with respiratory distress.

Conclusion: The present data confirmed that meconium-stained amniotic fluid, the presence of infection, non- vertex presentation, premature rupture of membrane, obstructed labour, and a low Apgar score at the first minute was found to be determinant factors of Respiratory Distress among neonates. The health professions should closely monitor the mothers at risk during follow-up and encourage those with risk factors to deliver their babies where advanced healthcare services are available.