Comparison of demographic, clinical and early outcome characteristics of very preterm neonates (<32 weeks gestation) between two epochs
| Variables | Epoch-1 2009–2013 N=14 294 | Epoch-2 2014–2018 N=14 716 | P values |
| Outcome at discharge (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Alive | 11 219 (78.5) | 12 087 (82.1) | |
| Died | 3075 (21.5) | 2629 (17.9) | |
| Males (%) | 7977 (55.8) | 8077 (54.9) | 0.154 |
| Gestation in weeks (%) | |||
| Mean±SD | 28.6±2.0 | 28.7±2.0 | <0.001 |
| 22 to <25 | 745 (5.2) | 767 (5.2) | 0.001 |
| 25 to <28 | 3099 (21.7) | 2963 (20.1) | |
| 28 to <30 | 4190 (29.3) | 4218 (28.7) | |
| 30 to <32 | 6260 (43.8) | 6768 (45.0) | |
| Birth weight in g, (%) | |||
| Mean±SD | 1188±360 | 1202±358 | 0.001 |
| <750 | 1510 (10.6) | 1546 (10.5) | <0.001 |
| 750–999 | 2990 (20.9) | 2819 (19.2) | |
| 1000–1249 | 3732 (26.1) | 3714 (25.2) | |
| 1250–1499 | 3207 (22.4) | 3531 (24.0) | |
| >1500 | 2855 (20.0) | 3106 (21.1) | |
| Multiple births (%) | 1993 (13.9) | 2163 (14.7) | 0.066 |
| Ethnic groups (%) | N=14 286 | N=14 710 | <0.001 |
| Malays | 8635 (60.4) | 9224 (62.7) | |
| Chinese | 1518 (10.6) | 1470 (10.0) | |
| Sabah natives | 877 (6.1) | 951 (6.5) | |
| Sarawak natives | 994 (7.0) | 940 (6.4) | |
| Indians | 871 (6.1) | 855 (5.8) | |
| Other Malaysians | 296 (2.1) | 253 (1.7) | |
| Foreigners | 1095 (7.7) | 1017 (6.9) | |
| Antenatal steroids (%) | 10 026/13 810 (72.6) | 11 256/14 452 (77.9) | <0.001 |
| Modes of delivery (%) | N=14 282 | N=14 703 | |
| LSCS | 6476 (45.3) | 7245 (49.3) | <0.001 |
| Vertex delivery | 7188 (50.3) | 6912 (47.0) | |
| Breech delivery | 618 (4.3) | 546 (3.7) | |
| Outborns (%) | 1797 (12.6) | 1510 (10.3) | <0.001 |
| Admitted to (%) | |||
| Small NICU | 1803 (12.6) | 2070 (14.1) | <0.001 |
| Intermediate NICU | 5941 (41.6) | 6188 (42.0) | |
| Large NICU | 6550 (45.8) | 6458 (43.9) | |
| eCPAP therapy (%) | 2770/7681 (36.1)* | 7663/14 382 (53.3) | <0.001 |
| Surfactant given (%) | 9996/14 258 (70.1) | 9460 (64.3) | <0.001 |
| Cling wrapped at birth (%) | -† | 3805/8168 (46.6%)‡ | – |
| MCV (%) | 10 786/14 275 (75.6) | 101 887/14 578 (69.9) | <0.001 |
| HFOV (%) | 1484/14 007(10.6) | 2315/14 578 (15.9) | <0.001 |
| Admission temperature, oC | N=14 289 | N=14 710 | |
| Mean±SD | 35.8 (1.0) | 35.8 (1.1) | <0.001 |
| ≥36.5 | 4830 (33.8) | 4591 (31.2) | <0.001 |
| 36.0–36.4 | 3814 (26.7) | 3476 (23.6) | |
| 32.0–35.9 | 5592 (39.1) | 6560 (44.6) | |
| <32.0 | 53 (0.4) | 83 (0.6) | |
| EOS (%) | 228/12 953 (1.8) | 280/14 714 (1.9) | 0.378 |
| LOS (%) | 1802/12 942 (13.9) | 1147/14 714 (7.8) | <0.001 |
| Pneumothorax (%) | 523/14 273 (3.7) | 367 (2.5) | <0.001 |
| NEC (%) | 949/14 273 (6.6) | 685 (4.7) | <0.001 |
| sIVH (%) | 1529/12 898 (11.9) | 1222/13 870 (8.8) | <0.001 |
| BPD in all neonates (%) | 1451/14 267 (10.2) | 1861/14 715 (12.6) | <0.001 |
| BPD in survivors (%) | 1314/11 210 (11.7) | 1727/12 086 (14.3) | <0.001 |
*Data collected from 2011 onwards.
†No data in epoch-1.
‡Data collected from 2016 onwards.
BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; eCPAP, early continuous positive airway pressure; EOS, early-onset sepsis; HFOV, high frequency oscillation ventilation; LOS, late-onset sepsis; LSCS, lower segment caesarean section; MCV, mechanical ventilation; NEC, necrotising enterocolitis; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; sIVH, severe intraventricular haemorrhage.