title: Frequency, causes and outcome of neonates with respiratory distress admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency, aetiology and outcome of respiratory distress in neonates in intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, from October 2009 to March 2010. It comprised neonates aged day 0 to 28 who were admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The neonates were screened first for respiratory distress and presence of one or more signs and symptoms. History, examination and investigations were carried out to find out various aetiologies of respiratory distress. Outcome was measured in terms of discharge and death. Data was analysed using SPSS12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 205 neonates in the study, 120(58.6%) were boys and 85(41.4%) were girls The overall mean age was 70.58±110.02 hours and the mean gestational age was 36.32±2.72 weeks while the mean weight was 2.41±2.4kg. Respiratory rate >60/min was found in all (100%) the neonates. In terms of signs and symptoms, 125(60.9%) had grunting, 205(100%) had subcostal retractions and nasal flaring, and 81(40%) had cyanosis. The aetiologies observed were birth asphyxia, sepsis, transient tachypnoea of the newborn, pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome and respiratory distress syndrome in 22(10.75%), 37(18.05%), 29(14.1%), 36(17.6%), 34(16.7%) and 47(23.0%) neonates respectively. The incidence of neonates with respiratory distress was 68(33.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of respiratory distress among the neonates was high, while mortality was high in neonates with respiratory distress, especially in pre-term and low birthweight neonates. Early diagnosis and management is important for better outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, NICH, Karachi.
authors.forename: Arit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parkash
authors.affiliation: DHQ Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Nighat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, NICH, Karachi.
authors.forename: Zubair Ahmed
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Khoso
authors.affiliation: Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Abdul Sattar
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shaikh
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D059245:Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Causes, Outcome, Neonates, Respiratory distress.