title: Survival, morbidity, and resource use of infants of 25 weeks' gestational age or less.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine survival, morbidity, and resource use in a large cohort of extremely preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined all (n = 754) neonatal intensive care unit admissions born at < or =25 weeks' gestation and inborn deliveries (n = 949) between 22 and 25 weeks' gestation at 17 Canadian neonatal intensive care units.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall survival rate was 63%, with a range from 14% at 22 weeks' gestation to 76% at 25 weeks' gestation. There was a high incidence of chronic lung disease (33%-51%), > or =grade 3 intraventricular hemorrhage (0%-16%), necrotizing enterocolitis (0%-14%), > or =stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity (27%-55%), nosocomial infection (25%-39%), and multiple gestation (18%-46%). Extremely preterm infants comprise 4% of neonatal intensive care unit admissions but account for 22% of deaths, 20%-60% of major morbidities, 11% of patient days, and 10%-35% of major procedures. Outborn infants had a higher incidence of chronic lung disease, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and intraventricular hemorrhage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extremely preterm infants have a high incidence of mortality and morbidity and consume disproportionate amounts of neonatal intensive care unit resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Synnes
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate