title: Sick Neonate Score--A Simple Clinical Score for Predicting Mortality of Sick Neonates in Resource Restricted Settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate an objective score to assess the condition of sick neonates at arrival and its use in predicting mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive study included 303 extramural neonates who were evaluated using a simple clinical score - Sick neonate score (SNS). All neonates were followed up till discharge or expiry. The score and its individual components were correlated with outcome. A receiver operating curve was plotted to determine the cutoff value for SNS in predicting mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The common indications for neonatal transport were sepsis (30.7 %), birth asphyxia (17.5 %) and respiratory distress (15.2 %). Sixty neonates (20 %) expired and among them 76 % were hypothermic and 10 % hypoglycemic at admission. The average SNS for all neonates was 10 while it was 6 for those who expired. A cutoff value of SNS ≤ 8 predicted mortality with a sensitivity of 58.3 % and specificity of 52.7 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNS is a useful scoring system to predict outcome of sick neonates in resource restricted settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, 605 006, India.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rathod
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, 605 006, India. adhisivam1975@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adhisivam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, 605 006, India.
authors.forename: B Vishnu
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Bhat
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Hypothermia; Mortality; Neonatal transport; Newborn; Score