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Khan N, Chimhini G, Shrestha SK, Cortina-Borja M, Chimhuya S, Zailani G, Gannon H, Mangiza M, Fitzgerald F, Heys M, Chiume M. Assessing the Use of Neonatal Sepsis Guidelines and Antibiotic Prescription With Large-Scale Prospective Data From Zimbabwe and Malawi. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2025; 14:piaf017. [PMID: 39980448 PMCID: PMC11976057 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piaf017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2025] [Indexed: 02/22/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of mortality in low-resource settings. We assessed how neonatal sepsis guidelines were used in 2 Zimbabwean hospitals and 1 Malawian hospital. METHODS Using routine data collected with the digital health intervention, Neotree, we retrospectively reviewed doctors' and nurses' agreement with national and World Health Organization (WHO) guideline recommendations for antibiotic prescription for sepsis. We compared clinical features and outcomes of neonates who should have received antibiotics as per guideline with those who actually received them and fitted a logistic regression model to identify features associated with prescription. RESULTS Data were collected between January 2021 and June 2022 from 10 868 neonates: 6045 admitted to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital (SMCH), 1094 to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital (CPH) and 3729 to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH). Complete implementation of national guidelines would increase antibiotics at admission: from 2188 (38%) to 3745 (64%) at SMCH, 472 (44%) to 852 (79%) at CPH, and 1519 (41%) to 3043 (82%) at KCH. Clinical features of sepsis were frequently not acted on, but the case fatality rate was lower in those not prescribed antibiotics despite guideline recommendation. Application of WHO guidelines would increase antibiotic prescription to 91% at SMCH, 88% at CPH, and 77% in KCH. Maternal risk factors for sepsis, male gender, low birth weight, older age at admission, and spontaneous vaginal delivery were associated with higher rate of antibiotic prescription. CONCLUSIONS Guideline-recommended clinical signs for sepsis are inconsistently used, with clinicians using other features for antibiotic decision-making. Work is needed to revise clinical diagnostic algorithms in low-resource settings to ensure they are useful, usable and contextually appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nushrat Khan
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gwendoline Chimhini
- Department of Child and Adolescent and Women’s Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Sally Mugabe Central Hospital Neonatal Unit, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Som Kumar Shrestha
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Human Development Report Office, United Nations Development Programme, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mario Cortina-Borja
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simbarashe Chimhuya
- Department of Child and Adolescent and Women’s Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Sally Mugabe Central Hospital Neonatal Unit, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Gloria Zailani
- Department of Paediatrics, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Hannah Gannon
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marcia Mangiza
- Sally Mugabe Central Hospital Neonatal Unit, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Felicity Fitzgerald
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, School of Medicine, South Kensington Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle Heys
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Msandeni Chiume
- Department of Paediatrics, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
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Darmstadt GL, Ahmed S, Islam MS, Abdalla S, El Arifeen S, Arvay ML, Baqui AH, Bhutta ZA, Bose A, Connor NE, Hossain B, Isaac R, Mahmud A, Mitra DK, Mullany LC, Nisar I, Panigrahi K, Panigrahi P, Rahman QSU, Saha S, Soofi SB, Solomon N, Santosham M, Schrag SJ, Qazi SA, Saha SK. Association of clinical signs of possible serious bacterial infections identified by community health workers with mortality of young infants in South Asia: a prospective, observational cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2025; 80:103070. [PMID: 39896866 PMCID: PMC11787667 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2025] [Accepted: 01/02/2025] [Indexed: 02/04/2025] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidance for community health workers (CHWs) in identifying sick young infants based on clinical signs. We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study to characterise mortality risk of young infants based on their clinical signs. Methods We conducted a population-based, prospective observational cohort study at five sites in Bangladesh (Sylhet, November 01, 2011-December 31, 2013), India (Vellore and Odisha, September 01, 2013-February 28, 2015), and Pakistan (Karachi, January 01, 2012-December 31, 2013; Matiari, March 01, 2012-December 31, 2013) to identify newborn infants who were followed-up by CHWs through 10 scheduled home visits over the first 60 completed days after birth to identify signs of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI). We determined the frequency of signs and conducted Cox regression to investigate the association of signs with mortality risk within 7 days of identification of the signs. Findings CHWs made 522,309 visits to assess 63,017 young infants and found ≥1 sign(s) of PSBI at 14,245 visits (2.7%), including 5.8% (5568 of 96,390) and 1.8% (6635 of 365,769) of visits of infants 0-<3 and 7-<60 days of age, respectively. Each of the seven signs of PSBI when found alone was associated with significantly (p < 0.0001) increased risk for mortality, which increased further if any other additional sign of PSBI was found concurrently. Over the young infant period (days 0-<60) CHW identification of no movement or movement only on stimulation was associated with the highest risk for mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 73.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 44.4-119.9] followed by poor feeding (aHR 31.9, 95% CI 24.1-42.3) and hypothermia (<35.5 °C) (aHR 31.4, 95% CI 23.5-41.9). Hypothermia had particularly high risk for mortality during days 7-<60 (HR 45.1, 95% CI 27.6-73.4). Interpretation WHO reconsideration of hypothermia as a sign of critical illness is warranted. Implementation research is urgently needed to reduce infant mortality by ensuring immediate referrals and interventions for children identified early by CHWs with no movement or movement only on stimulation, hypothermia, or poor feeding, especially in resource-poor settings. Funding Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, New Venture Fund for Global Policy and Advocacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary L. Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Saifuddin Ahmed
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Safa Abdalla
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shams El Arifeen
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddrb), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Abdullah H. Baqui
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zulfiqar A. Bhutta
- Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Global Health and Development, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Anuradha Bose
- Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, Vellore, India
| | - Nicholas E. Connor
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Belal Hossain
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rita Isaac
- Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, Vellore, India
| | - Arif Mahmud
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dipak K. Mitra
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luke C. Mullany
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Imran Nisar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Pinaki Panigrahi
- Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddrb), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Senjuti Saha
- Child Health Research Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sajid B. Soofi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Nardos Solomon
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mathuram Santosham
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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North K, Mathias S, Schmeck N, Kim Y, Kehoe T, Folger LV, Hoey A, Wade C, Driker S, Chou R, Edmond KM, Lee AC. Efficacy of Antibiotic Regimens for Sepsis or Possible Serious Bacterial Infection in Young Infants Aged 0 to 59 Days: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Pediatrics 2024; 154:e2024066588F. [PMID: 39087801 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-066588f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Sepsis is a leading cause of young infant mortality. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of different antibiotic regimens to treat young infant sepsis or possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) on clinical outcomes. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, World Health Organization Global Index Medicus, Cochrane Central Registry of Trials. STUDY SELECTION We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of young infants 0 to 59 days with sepsis or PBSI (population) comparing the efficacy of antibiotic regimens (intervention) with alternate regimens or management (control) on clinical outcomes. DATA EXTRACTION We extracted data and assessed risk of bias in duplicate. We performed random-effects meta-analysis, and used Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation to assess certainty of evidence. RESULTS Of 2390 publications, we included 41 RCTs (n = 18 054). Thirty-five trials were hospital-based and 6 were nonhospital-based. Meta-analysis of 4 trials demonstrated similar rates of treatment success with intramuscular/intravenous third generation cephalosporins versus intramuscular/intravenous penicillin or ampicillin + gentamicin (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93-1.13]; n = 1083; moderate certainty of evidence). Meta-analysis of 3 trials demonstrated similar rates of treatment failure with oral amoxicillin + intramuscular gentamicin versus intramuscular penicillin + gentamicin for nonhospital treatment of clinical severe illness (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.72-1.02]; n = 5054; low certainty of evidence). Other studies were heterogeneous. LIMITATIONS RCTs evaluated heterogeneous regimens, limiting our ability to pool data. CONCLUSIONS We found limited evidence to support any single antibiotic regimen as superior to alternate regimens to treat young infant sepsis or PSBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krysten North
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sitarah Mathias
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Naomi Schmeck
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yumin Kim
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tessa Kehoe
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lian V Folger
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amber Hoey
- Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
| | - Carrie Wade
- Countway Library, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sophie Driker
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roger Chou
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | - Anne Cc Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Edmond KM. Introduction to Evidence for Global Management of Serious Bacterial Infections in Young Infants Aged 0-59 Days. Pediatrics 2024; 154:e2024066588B. [PMID: 39087800 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-066588b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
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Alhassan JAK, Wills O. Public health surveillance through community health workers: a scoping review of evidence from 25 low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e079776. [PMID: 38582533 PMCID: PMC11002386 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The last 3 years have witnessed global health challenges, ranging from the pandemics of COVID-19 and mpox (monkeypox) to the Ebola epidemic in Uganda. Public health surveillance is critical for preventing these outbreaks, yet surveillance systems in resource-constrained contexts struggle to provide timely disease reporting. Although community health workers (CHWs) support health systems in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), very little has been written about their role in supporting public health surveillance. This review identified the roles, impacts and challenges CHWs face in public health surveillance in 25 LMICs. METHODS We conducted a scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. We exported 1,156 peer-reviewed records from Embase, Global Health and PubMed databases. After multiple screenings, 29 articles were included in the final review. RESULTS CHWs significantly contribute to public health surveillance in LMICs including through contact tracing and patient visitation to control major infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, Ebola, neglected tropical diseases and COVID-19. Their public health surveillance roles typically fall into four main categories including community engagement; data gathering; screening, testing and treating; and health education and promotion. The use of CHWs in public health surveillance in LMICs has been impactful and often involves incorporation of various technologies leading to improved epidemic control and disease reporting. Nonetheless, use of CHWs can come with four main challenges including lack of education and training, lack of financial and other resources, logistical and infrastructural challenges as well as community engagement challenges. CONCLUSION CHWs are important stakeholders in surveillance because they are closer to communities than other healthcare workers. Further integration and training of CHWs in public health surveillance would improve public health surveillance because CHWs can provide health data on 'hard-to-reach' populations. CHWs' work in public health surveillance would also be greatly enhanced by infrastructural investments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Albin Korem Alhassan
- Ad Astra Foundation, Tamale, Ghana
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Li L, Liu M, Deng S, Zhu X, Song Y, Song E. A pH-responsive magnetic resonance tuning probe for precise imaging of bacterial infection in vivo. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:487-495. [PMID: 37061111 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Accurate and sensitive detection of bacteria is essential for treating bacterial infections. Herein, a pH-responsive magnetic resonance tuning (MRET) probe, whose T1-weighted signal is activated in the bacteria-infected acid microenvironment, is developed for in situ accurately magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of bacterial infection in vivo. The MRET probe (MDVG-1) is an assembly of paramagnetic enhancer (gadolinium-modified i-motif DNA3, abbreviated as Gd-DNA3-Gd) and the precursor of superparamagnetic quencher (DNA and vancomycin-modified magnetic nanoparticle, abbreviated as MDV). The T1-weighted signal of Gd-DNA3-Gd is quenched once the formation of MDVG-1 (MRET ON). Interestingly, the MDVG-1 probe was disassembled into the monomers of Gd-DNA3-Gd and MDV under the bacteria-infected acid microenvironment, resulting significantly enhanced T1-weighted signal at the infected site (MRET OFF). The pH-responsive MRET probe-based enhanced MRI signal and bacteria targeting significantly improve the distinction between bacterial infectious tissues and sterile inflamed tissues, which provides a promising approach for accurately detecting bacterial infection in vivo. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Detecting pathogenic bacteria in vivo based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) strategy has been exploring recently. Although various bacterial-targeted MRI probes have been developed to image bacteria in vivo, the MRI signal of these MRI probes is always "on", which inevitably generates nonspecific background MRI signals, affecting the accuracy of MRI to a certain extent. In the current study, based on the magnetic resonance tuning (MRET) phenomenon, we present a pH-responsive MRET probe (MDVG-1) with T2-weighted imaging to T1-weighted imaging switchable properties to achieve in situ precise imaging of bacterial infection in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyao Li
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University) Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Maojuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University) Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Siyu Deng
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University) Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xiaokang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University) Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Erqun Song
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University) Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Tiruneh GT, Nigatu TG, Magge H, Hirschhorn LR. Using the Implementation Research Logic Model to design and implement community-based management of possible serious bacterial infection during COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1515. [PMID: 36514111 PMCID: PMC9745284 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08945-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community-based treatment of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in young infants, when referral to a hospital is not possible, can result in high treatment coverage and low case fatality. However, in Ethiopia, the coverage of PSBI treatment remains low, worsened by COVID-19. To understand the challenges of delivery of PSBI treatment and design and test adaptative strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on neonatal mortality, we did implementation research (IR) employing Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM). In this paper, we describe IRLM application experiences in designing, implementing, and evaluating strategies to improve community-based treatment of PSBI during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. METHODS This IR was conducted between November 2020-April 2022 at Dembecha and Lume woredas of Amhara and Oromia regions, respectively. We employed narrative reviews, formative assessment and facilitated stakeholder engagement to develop the PSBI treatment IRLM to identify barriers, understand the conceptual linkages among determinants, choose implementation strategies, elicit mechanisms, and link to implementation outcomes. In addition, we used the IRLM to structure the capture of emerging implementation challenges and resulting strategy adaptations throughout implementation. RESULTS This IR identified COVID-19 and multiple pre-existing contextual factors. We designed and implemented implementation strategies to address these challenges. These adaptive strategies were implemented with sufficient strength to maintain the delivery of PSBI services and improve mothers' care-seeking behavior for their sick young infants. The IRLM offers us a clear process and path to prioritize implementation challenges, choose strategies informed by mechanisms of action, and where the adaptive implementation of community-based management of PSBI would lead to high-implementation fidelity and change in mother behavior to seek care for their sick young infants. The IRLM was also an effective tool for stakeholder engagement, easily explained and used to structure discussion and decision-making during co-design meetings. CONCLUSIONS The use of the IRLM helps us to specify the conceptual links between the implementation challenges, strategies, mechanisms of action, and outcomes to explore the complex community-based management of PSBI during complex contexts to improve high-fidelity implementation and integration of PSBI treatment in the primary healthcare delivery systems through active engagement of stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizachew Tadele Tiruneh
- The Last Ten Kilometers (L10K) Project, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tsinuel Girma Nigatu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Jimma University, Ethiopia and Fenot Project - School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Hema Magge
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Lisa Ruth Hirschhorn
- Feinberg School of Medicine and Havey Institute of Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
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Dol J, Hughes B, Bonet M, Dorey R, Dorling J, Grant A, Langlois EV, Monaghan J, Ollivier R, Parker R, Roos N, Scott H, Shin HD, Curran J. Timing of neonatal mortality and severe morbidity during the postnatal period: a systematic review. JBI Evid Synth 2022; 21:98-199. [PMID: 36300916 PMCID: PMC9794155 DOI: 10.11124/jbies-21-00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to determine the timing of overall and cause-specific neonatal mortality and severe morbidity during the postnatal period (1-28 days). INTRODUCTION Despite significant focus on improving neonatal outcomes, many newborns continue to die or experience adverse health outcomes. While evidence on neonatal mortality and severe morbidity rates and causes are regularly updated, less is known on the specific timing of when they occur in the neonatal period. INCLUSION CRITERIA This review considered studies that reported on neonatal mortality daily in the first week; weekly in the first month; or day 1, days 2-7, and days 8-28. It also considered studies that reported on timing of severe neonatal morbidity. Studies that reported solely on preterm or high-risk infants were excluded, as these infants require specialized care. Due to the available evidence, mixed samples were included (eg, both preterm and full-term infants), reflecting a neonatal population that may include both low-risk and high-risk infants. METHODS MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched for published studies on December 20, 2019, and updated on May 10, 2021. Critical appraisal was undertaken by 2 independent reviewers using standardized critical appraisal instruments from JBI. Quantitative data were extracted from included studies independently by 2 reviewers using a study-specific data extraction form. All conflicts were resolved through consensus or discussion with a third reviewer. Where possible, quantitative data were pooled in statistical meta-analysis. Where statistical pooling was not possible, findings were reported narratively. RESULTS A total of 51 studies from 36 articles reported on relevant outcomes. Of the 48 studies that reported on timing of mortality, there were 6,760,731 live births and 47,551 neonatal deaths with timing known. Of the 34 studies that reported daily deaths in the first week, the highest proportion of deaths occurred on the first day (first 24 hours, 38.8%), followed by day 2 (24-48 hours, 12.3%). Considering weekly mortality within the first month (n = 16 studies), the first week had the highest mortality (71.7%). Based on data from 46 studies, the highest proportion of deaths occurred on day 1 (39.5%), followed closely by days 2-7 (36.8%), with the remainder occurring between days 8 and 28 (23.0%). In terms of causes, birth asphyxia accounted for the highest proportion of deaths on day 1 (68.1%), severe infection between days 2 and 7 (48.1%), and diarrhea between days 8 and 28 (62.7%). Due to heterogeneity, neonatal morbidity data were described narratively. The mean critical appraisal score of all studies was 84% (SD = 16%). CONCLUSION Newborns experience high mortality throughout the entire postnatal period, with the highest mortality rate in the first week, particularly on the first day. Ensuring regular high-quality postnatal visits, particularly within the first week after birth, is paramount to reduce neonatal mortality and severe morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Dol
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada,Aligning Health Needs and Evidence for Transformative Change (AH-NET-C): A JBI Centre of Excellence, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Brianna Hughes
- Aligning Health Needs and Evidence for Transformative Change (AH-NET-C): A JBI Centre of Excellence, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada,School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mercedes Bonet
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Dorey
- School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jon Dorling
- Division of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University and IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Amy Grant
- Maritime SPOR Support Unit, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Etienne V. Langlois
- Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joelle Monaghan
- Centre for Research in Family Health, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Rachel Ollivier
- School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Robin Parker
- W.K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library, Dalhousie Libraries, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nathalie Roos
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heather Scott
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Hwayeon Danielle Shin
- Aligning Health Needs and Evidence for Transformative Change (AH-NET-C): A JBI Centre of Excellence, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada,School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Janet Curran
- Aligning Health Needs and Evidence for Transformative Change (AH-NET-C): A JBI Centre of Excellence, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada,School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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