Disease Burden of NICU, at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi

Abstract

Objective To determine the number, disease pattern and outcome of the patients admitted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Design Descriptive study Place & Duration of the Study: NICU, Kharadar General Hospital, KHI; Jan.2006 till Dec. 2007. Methods The data of all the admitted neonates was analyzed retrospectively for the cause of admission and their outcome. Results During this study period, the total number of patients admitted were 1069.The highest number comprised of preterm, low birth weight (LBW) babies (24.6%) followed by sepsis (19.9%), Respiratory distress Syndrome (RDS) (18.9%), birth asphyxia (17.02), meconium aspiration syndrome (15.2%), neonatal jaundice (9.44%), pneumonias (3.46),hyaline membrane disease (3.4%), congenital malformations (2.8%) and (4.3%). Out of 1069 patients, 148 expired (13.8%). Most of the expiries were due to sepsis (31.75%).