title: Cost-effectiveness analysis of Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall survival probability of the study group infants at 1 year of age was 78%. Survival at 1-year of age was 77% for infants with birth weight 1000 to 1249 g, 79% for 1250 to 1499 g. Survival at 1 year of age for the sample group was 53% for 22 to 27 weeks gestation, 80% for 28 to 36 weeks. The average cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) of neonatal intensive care for the study group infants was US$3979 [corrected] per survivor at 1 year of age (95% confidence interval US$3411, 5160).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was variability in the outcome and cost-effectiveness between the neonatal units, which need to be further assessed. However, neonatal intensive care services provided for the study group infants were cost-effective compared to that in developed countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Institute, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Irene Guat Sim
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Anna Padma
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Soosai
authors.forename: Swee Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Teck Onn
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000191:economics*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008296:Malaysia; D019370:Observation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome