title: Impact of interhospital transport on the physiologic status of very low-birth-weight infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the change in physiologic stability of very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants following transport using TRIPS (transport risk index of physiologic stability) score as a measure of physiologic stability and compare changes in TRIPS score in groups of VLBW infants who underwent shorter versus longer transport.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our cohort of 106 infants, 44 (41%) of whom were females, had a mean birth weight of 777 g (standard deviation [SD] 159) and median gestational age of 26 weeks (range 23 to 32 weeks). Mean weight at transfer was 1,610 g (SD 924) and mean postnatal age at transfer was 56 days (SD 45). Median time on transport was 15 minutes (range 10 to 85 minutes). All 106 transports were ground transports. Of the 106 infants, 57 (54%) had deterioration, 20 (19%) had improvement, and 29 (27%) had no change in their physiologic status during transport. Comparison of the two transport duration groups based on median transport time as a cutoff point (i.e., ≤ 15 minutes and > 15 minutes) revealed a higher proportion of infants with deterioration in their physiologic status in the prolonged transport (>15 minutes) group (65% versus 45%; p = 0.03). Temperature change, either alone or in combination with other indices, was responsible for change in TRIPS score (deterioration or improvement) in 79% of these infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interhospital transport of VLBW infants may cause deterioration in their physiologic status, the likelihood of which is increased with longer duration of transport. Better temperature regulation during interhospital transport may decrease the chances of deterioration in physiologic status of VLBW infants.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajaj
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Girija
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Natarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Natasha Purai
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Vaneet Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.affiliation: The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zidan
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Seetha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shankaran
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients