title: Survival and morbidity outcomes for very low birth weight infants with Down syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to compare survival and neonatal morbidity rates between very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with Down syndrome (DS) and VLBW infants with non-DS chromosomal anomalies, nonchromosomal birth defects (BDs), and no chromosomal anomaly or major BD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected prospectively for infants weighing 401 to 1500 g who were born and/or cared for at one of the study centers participating in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network in 1994-2008. Risk of death and morbidities, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), late-onset sepsis (LOS), retinopathy of prematurity, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), were compared between VLBW infants with DS and infants in the other groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants with DS were at increased risk of death (adjusted relative risk: 2.47 [95% confidence interval: 2.00-3.07]), PDA, NEC, LOS, and BPD, relative to infants with no BDs. Decreased risk of death (relative risk: 0.40 [95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.52]) and increased risks of NEC and LOS were observed when infants with DS were compared with infants with other non-DS chromosomal anomalies. Relative to infants with nonchromosomal BDs, infants with DS were at increased risk of PDA and NEC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased risk of morbidities among VLBW infants with DS provides useful information for counseling parents and for anticipating the need for enhanced surveillance for prevention of these morbidities.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa Health Care, Department of Pediatrics, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Nansi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Boghossian
authors.forename: Nellie I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Abbot R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Laptook
authors.forename: Seetha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shankaran
authors.forename: Michele C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Abhik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Rosemary D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology