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. 2023 Apr;43(4):490-495.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01596-y. Epub 2023 Jan 6.

Neonatal intensive care unit occupancy rate and probability of discharge of very preterm infants

Marc Beltempo  1 , Elyonora Sargi  2 , Sharina Patel  3   2 , Guy Lacroix  4 , Anie Lapointe  5 , Sharon Taylor-Ducharme  2 , Stéphane Morin  6 , Victoria Bizgu  7 , Bruno Piedboeuf  4 ; Quebec investigators of the Canadian Neonatal Network
Collaborators, Affiliations

Neonatal intensive care unit occupancy rate and probability of discharge of very preterm infants

Marc Beltempo et al. J Perinatol. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association of NICU occupancy with probability of discharge and length of stay (LOS) among infants born <33 weeks gestational age (GA).

Study design: Retrospective study of 3388 infants born 23-32 weeks GA, admitted to five Level 3/4 NICUs (2014-2018) and discharged alive. Standardized ratios of observed-to-expected number of discharges were calculated for each quintile of unit occupancy. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the association between occupancy and LOS.

Results: At the lowest unit occupancy quintiles (Q1 and Q2), infants were 12% and 11% less likely to be discharged compared to the expected number. At the highest unit occupancy quintile (Q5), infants were 20% more likely to be discharged. Highest occupancy (Q5) was also associated with a 4.7-day (95% CI 1.7, 7.7) reduction in LOS compared Q1.

Conclusion: NICU occupancy was associated with likelihood of discharge and LOS among infants born <33 weeks GA.

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References

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