title: Neonatal outcomes of infants admitted to a large government hospital in Amman, Jordan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe characteristics and outcomes of Jordanian newborns admitted to a large governmental neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  Newborns born at the government hospital, Al Bashir, in Amman, Jordan were prospectively enrolled. The study focused on newborns admitted to the NICU and a retrospective chart review was performed. Abstraction included in-hospital mortality, antibiotic days, ventilation, oxygen use, and CRP levels. Rank sum and chi-squared tests were used to compare across outcomes. Logistic regression of hypothesized risk factors with death adjusted for gestational age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 5,466 neonates enrolled from 2/10-2/11, medical records were available for 321/378(84.9%) infants admitted to the NICU. The median gestational age was 36 weeks, median birth weight was 2.3 kg, and 28(8.7%) infants died. The two most common reasons for admission and mortality were respiratory distress syndrome and prematurity. Low Apgar scores and positive CRP were predictors of mortality. Risk factors associated with increased use of antibiotics, oxygen hood, and mechanical ventilation included lower gestational age and prematurity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infants admitted to the Jordanian NICU have significantly higher median gestational age and birth weights than in developed countries and were associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Continuations of global efforts to prevent prematurity are needed.
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sivasubramaniam
authors.forename: Cristin E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Meridith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Hajajra
authors.forename: Najwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khuri-Bulos
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faouri
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University. natasha.halasa@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halasa
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007597:Jordan; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors