A study comparing short-term outcome in preterm infants of ≤30 weeks gestation between a tertiary neonatal care unit in Bangalore, India and one in London, UK.

Background: Large numbers of preterm infants are born in middle-income countries and neonatal care is improving in these countries. Few studies have compared clinical outcome in preterm infants in a tertiary neonatal unit in a middle-income country with one in a high-income country.

Objective: To compare the short-term outcome in preterm infants of ≤30 weeks gestation admitted to a tertiary neonatal unit in Bengaluru, India and in London, UK.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study using anonymised data from electronic patient records. Preterm infants born at ≤30 weeks gestation admitted to neonatal units in Bengaluru ( = 294) and London ( = 740) over a 5-year period (January 2011 to December 2015) were compared.

Results: Fewer mothers in the Bengaluru centre received antenatal steroids (37% 73%, < 0.001). The incidence of retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment (12.9% 7.7%, NS), treated patent ductus arteriosus (32.3% 10.7%, NS) and blood culture-positive sepsis (32.4% 1.7%, < 0.001) was higher in infants in the Indian centre. Overall survival was 83% 87.2% (NS) in the Bengaluru and the London cohorts, respectively. Survival of infants born at ≤28 weeks gestation was lower in Bengaluru than in London [24 weeks: 33.0% 79.3% (NS); 25 weeks: 50.0% 78.9%, = 0.02; 26 weeks: 45.2% 86.5%, < 0.01; 27 weeks: 79.3% 91.3% (NS); 28 weeks 82.5% 94.1%, = 0.03].

Conclusion: The survival of infants ≤28 weeks gestation was significantly lower in the Bengaluru centre. Increasing the provision of antenatal corticosteroids may improve the outcome in these infants.

Abbreviations: BPD: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure; EPR: electronic patient records; HIC: high-income countries; HDU: high dependency unit; hsPDA: haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus; IVH: intraventricular haemorrhage; ITU: Intensive Care Unit, IUGR: intrauterine growth restriction; LAMA: leaving against medical advice; LMIC: low- and middle-income countries; NICU: neonatal intensive care unit; NNFI: National Neonatal Forum of India; NS: not significant; NTS: neonatal transfer service; NNAP: National Neonatal Audit Programme; NHM: National Health Mission; NMR: neonatal mortality rate; NEC: necrotising enterocolitis; NS: not significant; PDA: patent ductus arteriosus; ROP: retinopathy of prematurity; SCBU: special care baby unit; VLBW: very low birthweight; WHO: World Health Organization.