Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
A Modified Sonographic Algorithm for Image Acquisition in Life-Threatening Emergencies in the Critically Ill Newborn
Published on: April 7, 2023
Clinical Outcomes of High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Program in a Tertiary Care Centre
Kayvan Mirnia1, Forouzan Akrami2, Behzad Jodeiry1
1Pediatric Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Insights
The high-risk infant follow-up (HRIF) program shows improved outcomes like retinopathy of prematurity but needs modification. Integrating HRIF into child health services is crucial for early childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric follow-up
- Public health
Background:
- High-risk infant follow-up (HRIF) programs are essential for early detection and intervention in vulnerable infants.
- This study assesses the clinical outcomes of an HRIF program at Alzahra hospital, a tertiary care center in Iran.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical outcomes of the HRIF program.
- To identify areas for improvement in follow-up processes for high-risk infants.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study included 253 high-risk infants (HRIs) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
- Data were collected on clinical outcomes, anthropometric indices, and developmental assessments (ASQ).
- Follow-up adherence and specific conditions like intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were recorded.
Main Results:
- 95% of eligible HRIs attended the initial follow-up clinic.
- Anthropometric indices showed an increasing trend in the first six months.
- Incidence rates for IVH and ROP were 8.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Congenital hypothyroidism incidence was 2:341.
Conclusions:
- While some outcomes like ROP showed improvement, the study highlights deficiencies in current HRIF processes.
- Modification of the HRIF program is necessary to optimize care for high-risk infants.
- Integrating HRIF programs into broader child health services is recommended for promoting early childhood development.
Background:
High-risk infant follow-up (HRIF) program is necessary for early detection, timely intervention, and promotion of health outcomes in vulnerable infants, ethically. The present study was carried out to assess the clinical outcomes of the HRIF Program in Alzahra hospital as a tertiary care centre, in Iran.
Materials And Methods:
In this cohort study, 5840 neonates were born at Alzahra hospital, from June 1, 2011 to 30th February 2012. Among those who were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 253 infants were recruited by census according to HRIs criteria. After doing necessary measurements and family education, information was recorded in HRI health certificate and then entered in the access database for analysis.
Results:
From 253 eligible HRIs registered, 241 (95%) infants attended the follow-up clinic after discharge. A total of180 cases were recalled for further visits, 110 of which attended the clinic. Anthropometric indices had an increasing trend in the first 6 months of life. There was no significant relation between ages and stages questionnaire (ASQ) results and infant birth weight, height, and head circumference. The ratios of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were 8.7% and 3.1%, respectively. The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism was 2:341 in HRIs.
Conclusions:
Although some outcomes, such as ROP, improved in our study compared to similar studies, the findings indicate an impairment of the current follow-up processes and highlight the necessity to modify the current HRIF program. Ethically, we insist on integrating HRIF program in child health services to promote early childhood development.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Tertiary Healthcare System
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...