title: [Respiratory disorders among late-preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rate of infants born at 34-36 weeks of gestation has increased over the last 20 years. These babies are at higher risk of morbidity, particularly respiratory, than full-term infants are. The purpose of this study was to describe the respiratory morbidity of late-preterm infants and identify risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive, single-center study including 273 late-preterm infants born in a tertiary care hospital between July 2009 and December 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the mothers who delivered, 53.9% had morbidity. The cesarean-section delivery rate before labor was 20.9%; the main indication was fetal growth restriction (34%). Sixty-four percent of newborns had morbidity during their hospitalization and 23.1% suffered from respiratory distress. Mechanical ventilation was needed in 4.4% of the infants. Respiratory distress was mainly caused by early-onset sepsis or transient tachypnea. Ten infants presented with respiratory distress syndrome, of whom seven received a surfactant. Neonatal respiratory distress risk factors were gestational age, sex, and prelabor cesarean section (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Late-preterm infants have an increased risk of respiratory disorders requiring ventilation. Elective cesarean should be limited if possible during this period.
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie. Electronic address: zohra_chioukh@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: F-Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Chioukh
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: M-I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Skalli
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laajili
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Hmida
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ben Ameur
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bizid
authors.affiliation: Service de réanimation et de médecine néonatale, centre de maternité et de néonatalogie, faculté de médecine de Monastir, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, 5019 Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Monastiri
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014416:Tunisia; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants