Neonatal morbidities/outcomes during hospitalisation
| Skin-to-skin contact n=51 | Standard care n=57 | P value | Or (95% CI) | |
| Administration of surfactant first 24 hours, n/N (%) | 8/51 (16) | 12/57 (21) | 0.47 | 0.7 (0.3 to 1.9) |
| Highest level of respiratory support, n/N (%) | ||||
| No | 3/50 (6) | 5/57 (9) | ||
| HFNC | 0 | 1/57 (2) | ||
| CPAP/NIV | 40/50 (80) | 46/57 (81) | ||
| Mechanical ventilation | 7/50 (14) | 5/57 (9) | 0.39* | 1.7 (0.5 to 5.7) |
| IVH grade 3–4, n/N (%) | 0 | 2/57 (4) | 0.50 | |
| cPVL, n/N (%) | 2/50 (4) | 2/57 (4) | 1.00 | 1.1 (0.2 to 8.4) |
| NEC—treated, n/N (%) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| ROP—treated, n/N (%) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| BPD at 36 weeks, n/N (%)† | 1/50 (2) | 1/57 (2) | 1.00 | 1.1 (0.1 to 18.8) |
| Early discharge with feeding tube, n/N (%)‡ | 37/50 (74) | 28/57 (49) | 0.009 | 2.9 (1.3 to 6.7) |
| 280–296 weeks’ gestation | 17/21 (81) | 11/21 (52) | 0.05 | 3.9 (1.0 to 15.4) |
| 300–316 weeks’ gestation | 20/29 (69) | 17/36 (47) | 0.08 | 2.5 (0.9 to 6.9) |
| PMA at discharge, weeks, median (IQR) | ||||
| With feeding tube | 35.3 (34.7–36.6) | 35.0 (34.4–35.8) | 0.16 | |
| Without feeding tube§ | 36.4 (35.9–37.6) | 36.3 (35.4–37.8) | 0.93 |
*P value and OR based on comparing mechanical ventilation and other/no respiratory support.
†BPD defined as any need of supplemental oxygen and/or ventilator support at 36 weeks postmenstrual age.
‡Discharged to home care with follow-up from an ambulatory nursing team from NICU.
§Data unavailable for two infants in the standard care group that were transferred to another hospital before discharge.
BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; cPVL, cystic periventricular leukomalacia; HFNC, high-flow nasal cannula; IVH, intraventricular haemorrhage; NEC, necrotising enterocolitis; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; NIV, non-invasive ventilation; PMA, postmenstrual age; ROP, retinopathy of prematurity.