Competing Risk Analysis of the Health Status of Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is not only the most common respiratory disorder in premature infants but also the main cause of neonatal mortality.

Competing risk framework was used to examine and identify potential prognostic factors of the health status of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. Preterm infants with RDS admitted to the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of selected hospitals in Ethiopia were followed for 28 days and only neonates with complete cases were included in the analysis. The Fine-Gray or sub-distribution hazard model was used to identify significant prognostic factors. Three outcome variables (death due to RDS, death due to other causes and discharged alive) were considered.

The Fine-Gray model fit results revealed that anemia, multiple pregnancies, birth-weight and gestational age were the prognostic factors significantly associated with the death of neonates due to Respiratory distress syndrome problem while Pneumonia, meningitis, anemia and gestational age of neonates were the significant prognostic factors for death of neonates due to other causes. Moreover, pneumonia, birth weight and gestational age were identified as the prognostic factors associated with neonates being discharged alive.

Offering intensive and adequate treatments for neonates with lowest birth-weights and gestational age may be useful to reduce neonatal mortality and increase the incidence of being discharged alive.