Intensive care for sick neonates, the earlier the better: improved survival rate of IRDS children, referred by means of a mobile neonatal intensive care unit.
A mobile intensive care unit has been used since september 1976 in the region referring sick neonates to the two University Hospital NICU's of Amsterdam. The present study compares two groups of neonates (suffering from the I.R.D.S.) i.e. a group that had been referred by non specialized transport teams (N S T-group) and a group admitted after institution of the neonatal-transport service (S. T.-group). Significant difference is found in the temperature on admission (S T group greater than N S T group). In the N S T-and the S T-group the need for ventilatory assistance was not significantly different but in the S T-group it was started significantly earlier. Survival after institution of ventilatory assistance and overall-survival are significantly better in the S T-group. These conclusions point to the fact that administering intensive care to sick neonates as early as possible and transportation of this group by means of special "neonatal"-transport services increases their survival rates.
D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D009426:Netherlands; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D014187:Transportation of Patients