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Trends in Medication Use in Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants in a Level 3 NICU over 2 Decades

Rashmi Gulati1, Mohamad T Elabiad1, Ajay J Talati1

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.

American Journal of Perinatology
|October 16, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Medication use in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants remained stable over 22 years, with no association found between drug utilization and survival rates. Survival improved despite consistent medication exposure in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Pediatric Critical Care

Background:

  • Very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants often require intensive medical interventions, including multiple medications.
  • Understanding medication trends and their impact on survival is crucial for optimizing neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between medication utilization trends and survival rates in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants over a 22-year period.
  • To analyze changes in medication patterns within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of medication data for VLBW infants from 1990 to 2011.
  • Stratification of infants by birth weight (≤1,000g and 1,001-1,500g) and categorized into four time periods.
  • Examination of survival rates and medication usage patterns, including cardiovascular drugs and antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • Survival rates for VLBW infants significantly increased from 83% to 87% over the study period.
  • The median number of medications per VLBW infant remained constant at 9.
  • Increased use of dobutamine and indomethacin was observed, alongside a trend towards reduced antibiotic exposure in some infants.

Conclusions:

  • Overall medication use in the NICU has remained consistent over 22 years.
  • No direct association was identified between medication utilization trends and survival outcomes in VLBW infants.
  • VLBW infants continue to be exposed to a substantial number of medications, including various antibiotics.
Abstract

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