Abstract:

Objective To explore the important prognostic factors of pulmonary hemorrhage in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods The clinical data of VLBW infants diagnosed with pulmonary hemorrhage admitted to NICU from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 64 VLBW neonates were included, 39 in the death group and 25 in the survival group. In the death group, there were 21 neonates with gestational age <28 weeks, 17 with gestational age of 28-31⁺⁶ weeks, and 1 with gestational age of 32-33⁺⁶ weeks. There were 17 neonates with birth weight <1000 g, 13 with 1000-1250 g, and 9 with 1250-1500 g. Compared with the survival group, the death group had lower birth weight and gestational age, lower age of pulmonary hemorrhage occurrence, higher rates of gestational age <28 weeks and resuscitation by tracheal intubation, and higher rates of Ⅲ-Ⅳ respiratory distress syndrome, symptomatic ductus arteriosus and early-onset sepsis, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Compared with the survival group, the death group had higher peak inspiratory pressure within 24h after birth, higher fraction of inspired oxygen before pulmonary hemorrhage, and higher fraction of inspired oxygen and peak inspiratory pressure after pulmonary hemorrhage; In the death group, the proportion of arterial blood BE<-5mmol/L after birth was higher, and the proportion of arterial blood pH<7.1, BE<-5 mmol/L, PaCO₂>50 mmHg was higher when pulmonary hemorrhage occurred; Prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time were prolonged during pulmonary hemorrhage in the death group. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that resuscitation by tracheal intubation and PT≥30 s during pulmonary hemorrhage were independent risk factors for death in children with pulmonary hemorrhage (P<0.05). Log-rank test showed that the median survival time in the resuscitation group was shorter than that in the non-resuscitation group, and the median survival time in the PT≥30 s group was shorter than that in the PT<30 s group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusions In clinical work, attention should be paid to the intrauterine hypoxia of VLBW infants, the reasonable application of tracheal intubation resuscitation after birth, and the active correction of coagulation dysfunction after bleeding, so as to reduce the mortality of pulmonary hemorrhage.

Key words: pulmonary hemorrhage, very low birth weight infant, risk factor, clinical outcome