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David M. Allen, MD, MPH; James W. Buehler, MD; Barbara N. Samuels, MD, MPH; Alfred W. Brann, Jr, MD

JAMA. 1989;261(12):1763-1766.

Abstract
Although neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have contributed to advances in neonatal survival, little is known about the epidemiology of deaths that occur after NICU discharge. To determine mortality rates following NICU discharge, we used linked birth, death, and NICU records for infants born to Georgia residents from 1980 through 1982 and who were admitted to NICUs participating in the state's perinatal care network. Infants who died after discharge (n = 120) had a median duration of NICU hospitalization of 20 days (range, 1 to 148 days) and a median birth weight of 1983 g (range, 793 to 5159 g). The postdischarge mortality rate was 22.7 per 1000 NICU discharges. This rate is more than five times the overall postneonatal mortality rate for Georgia from 1980 to 1982. The most common causes of death were congenital heart disease (23%), sudden infant death syndrome (21%), and infection (13%). Demographic characteristics commonly associated with infant mortality were not strongly associated with the mortality following NICU discharge.

(JAMA. 1989;261:1763-1766)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Reproductive Health, Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control (Drs Allen and Buehler); the Office of Epidemiology, Georgia Department of Human Resources (Dr Samuels); and the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Emory Medical School (World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Perinatal Health and Health Services Research) (Dr Brann), Atlanta, Ga. Drs Allen and Buehler are now with the AIDS Program, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga, and Dr Samuels is with the Office of Community and Rural Health, Texas Department of Health, Austin.

Footnotes
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