Effectiveness of neonatal transport

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric transport medicine
• Thermoregulation in infants

Background:

• Neonatal hypothermia is a critical concern during inter-hospital transfers.
• Infants are particularly vulnerable to temperature fluctuations.
• Effective thermal management is crucial for neonatal survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incidence of hypothermia in infants transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• To assess the effectiveness of a dedicated hospital transport team in managing infant temperature.
• To determine the impact of hypothermia on mortality rates in transported neonates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 259 infant transfers to a single NICU over a six-month period.
• Data collection on infant temperatures upon arrival of the transport team and upon NICU admission.
• Analysis of mortality rates correlated with initial and transport temperatures.

Main Results:

• Hypothermia (temperature < 36°C) was present in 25.2% of infants upon the transport team's arrival.
• Effective warming during transport reduced the incidence of severe hypothermia (< 35°C) at NICU admission to 3.1%.
• Mortality was significantly higher in infants with core temperatures below the optimal range (36-37°C) across all birth weight groups.

Conclusions:

• Dedicated neonatal transport teams utilizing appropriate equipment and trained personnel can effectively mitigate hypothermia.
• Reducing the incidence of hypothermia during neonatal transport is associated with improved survival rates.
• Standardizing thermal management protocols for neonatal transfers is essential for reducing preventable mortality.