Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Genetics & Heredity, congenital anomalies, newborns, NICU, survival, HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE, NATIONAL CAUSES, MORTALITY, ELEMENTS, LENGTH, WEIGHT, Abnormalities, Multiple, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Newborn, Diseases, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Male, 0604 Genetics, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 3105 Genetics, 3202 Clinical sciences

Abstract:

In Central-Africa, neonatal infections, asphyxia and prematurity are main reasons for admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and major determinants of newborn survival. Also, the outcome of newborns with congenital anomalies is expected to be poor, due to a lack of state-of-the art care. We conducted a study of 102 newborns recruited in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University Hospitals of Kinshasa, DR Congo, to assess the impact of congenital anomalies. The presence of a major anomaly was associated with a hazard ratio of death of 13.2 (95%CI: 3.7-46.7, p < / .001). In addition, the presence of three or more minor anomalies was associated with a 4.5-fold increased risk of death (95%CI: 1.1-18.6, p = .04). We conclude that like major anomalies, the presence of three or more minor anomalies should also be given particular attention and that the evaluation of dysmorphism should be promoted in NICU.