title: Admission hypothermia among VLBW infants in Malaysian NICUs.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of admission hypothermia (AH) among very-low-birth-weight (≤1500 g) infants in 32 Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of all very-low-birth-weight infants admitted and a questionnaire survey of the practice of AH prevention. Of the 3768 (99.8%) infants with admission temperature recorded, 64.8% (n = 2440) were hypothermic: 40.3% (n = 983) mildly (36.0-36.4°C), 58.5% (n = 1428) moderately (32.0-35.9°C) and 1.2% (n = 29) severely (<32.0°C). Mean ambient temperature of these NICUs was 22.8°C (SD = 2.7, n = 28) in labour rooms and 20.1°C (SD = 1.6, n = 30) in operation theatres. None of the NICUs practised complete care bundle against AH at birth (i.e. use of pre-warmed radiant warmer and cling wrap, ambient temperature of at least 25°C and use of pre-warmed transport incubator). Care bundle against neonatal hypothermia should be actively promoted in Malaysian labour rooms and operation theatres.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nem-Yun
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Boo
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Guat-Sim Cheah
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009017:Morbidity; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: NICU; VLBW infants; admission hypothermia; care bundle