Data variables reported during neonatal transport: a systematic literature review

Neonatal transports are essential for providing access to advanced intensive care treatment for sick and premature neonates. There is a lack of consensus of which core physiological variables, clinical parameters and quality metrics to report for clinical guidance during transport and clinical governance of transport systems. We performed a systematic literature review to identify which data variables are reported during neonatal transports and assess whether these variables are uniform and transferable across studies. In the final data extraction and quality appraisal, 108 studies were included. The studies were heterogenous, presented a large variation of registered variables and frequently lacked uniform definitions. Reaching consensus on a set of defined variables for registration and implementation internationally will enhance the opportunity to improve the safety, effectiveness and quality of care for these vulnerable neonates.