Prognostic role of TOPS in ambulance-transferred neonates in a low-resource setting: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Assessing the severity of transferred neonates at admission can improve resource allocation. This study evaluated the role of TOPS (illness severity score including temperature, oxygen saturation, skin perfusion and blood sugar) in predicting mortality in neonates transferred by ambulance in a low-resource setting. METHODS: The study was conducted at Beira Central Hospital (Mozambique). Infants who were transferred by ambulance to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between 16th June and 16th October 2021 were included. The association between TOPS and mortality was investigated with a logistic regression model. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve was derived for TOPS; area under the ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. RESULTS: In-transport mortality was 2/198 (1.0%) and in-hospital mortality was 75/196 (38.3%). Median gestational age and birthweight were 38 weeks and 2600 g. Main causes of admission were asphyxia (29.3%), prematurity (25.3%) and sepsis (22.7%). Hypothermia and oxygen desaturation at admission were 75.8% and 32.3%. TOPS ≥ 1 was associated with increased mortality risk (odds ratio 7.06. 95% confidence interval 1.90 to 45.82), with 0.97 sensitivity and 0.26 specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The high mortality rate calls for interventions and quality initiative studies to improve the transfer process and the conditions at admission. TOPS can be used to identify neonates at risk of mortality and concentrate efforts of health care providers. Interventions preventing hypothermia and oxygen desaturation should be implemented in pre-transport stabilization and care during transport.

HIV Encephalopathy in ART-Naïve, Hospitalized Infants in Mozambique.

INTRODUCTION: The neurodevelopmental impact of HIV infection in older children has been well-described, with characterization of HIV-associated encephalopathy (HIVE) and associated cognitive defects. HIVE is relatively common in older children who were vertically infected. The sparse literature on HIVE in infants suggests that incidence may be up to 10% in the first year of life, but no studies were identified that specifically evaluated hospitalized infants. METHODS: A descriptive study of routine inpatient data from two central referral hospitals in Mozambique was conducted. Inclusion criteria were infants with confirmed HIV infection aged <12 months, not on ART, admitted between 1 January 2019 and 30 June 2019. Presumptive HIVE was defined as having delayed developmental milestones in addition to microcephaly and/or pathological reflexes. RESULTS: Seven out of 27 patients (26%) were classified as presumptive HIVE. Delayed milestones were seen in 18 patients (67%) and the prevalence was approximately two times higher in the HIVE (+) group across all milestone categories. Delayed or no maternal ART (p = 0.03) and the infant not having received postnatal nevirapine prophylaxis (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with HIVE. CONCLUSIONS: HIVE prevalence is high in ART naïve hospitalized infants, particularly in those with risk factors for in-utero transmission. Thorough neurologic and developmental assessments can help identify HIV-infected infants and can be of particular utility in pediatric wards without access to point-of-care virologic testing where presumptive HIV diagnosis is still needed. Infants with HIVE need comprehensive care that includes antiretroviral therapy and physical/occupational therapy.