title: Richardson score predicts short-term adverse respiratory outcomes in newborns >/=34 weeks gestation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a model to predict which newborns >/=34 weeks gestation with respiratory distress will die or will require prolonged (>3 days) assisted ventilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study using data from Northern California newborns >/=34 weeks gestation who presented with respiratory distress. We split the cohort into derivation and validation datasets. Bivariate and multivariate data analyses were performed on the derivation dataset. After developing a simple score on the derivation dataset, we applied it to the original as well as to a second validation dataset from Massachusetts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 2276 babies who met our initial eligibility criteria, 203 (9.3%) had the primary study outcome (assisted ventilation >3 days or death). A simple score based on gestational age, the lowest PaO 2 /FIO 2 , a variable combining lowest pH and highest PaCO 2 , and the lowest mean arterial blood pressure had excellent performance, with a c-statistic of 0.85 in the derivation dataset, 0.80 in the validation dataset, and 0.80 in the secondary validation dataset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A simple objective score based on routinely collected physiologic predictors can predict respiratory outcomes in infants >/=34 weeks gestation with respiratory distress.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Division of Research, Perinatal Research Unit, Oakland, California, USA. Gabriel.Escobar@kp.org
authors.forename: Gabriel J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.forename: Emily M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Breed
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botas
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Cathleen K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zupancic
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies