A 12-Year Retrospective Study of Survival Rates and Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants in a Single Center

PURPOSE: To investigate the outcomes and survival rates of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) born over a 12-year period in a single center. METHODS: A retrospective review of 613 VLBWI born from January 2000 to December 2011 was performed. We compared the incidence, survival rate, and morbidity of infants classified according to their birth weight or gestational age for the following periods: Period I (2000-2002), Period II (2003-2005), Period III (2006-2008), and Period IV (2009-2011). RESULTS: The incidence of VLBWI was 0.7%, while the overall survival rate was 94.9%. The survival rates were 92.8%, 92.9%, 95.9%, and 97.5% for periods I, II, III and IV, respectively; the rates improved significantly over time (P or =grade III), 8.5%; sepsis, 6.5%; cystic periventricular leukomalacia, 3.8%; necrotizing enterocolitis (> or =grade II), 3.4%; and intraventricular hemorrhage (> or =grade III), 2.3%. A significant decrease was seen in some clinical parameters: the time to start feeding, duration of parenteral nutrition, and duration required to reach full enteral feeding in every successive three-year period (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The overall survival rate of VLBWI born between January 2000 and December 2011 was 94.9%. This survival rate was found to increase significantly in each successive three-year period starting January 2000.

Unusual Presentation of Calcinosis Cutis: Venous Calcification Following intravenous Calcium Gluconate Administration in a Preterm Baby

Neonatal hypocalcemia is not uncommon, especially in premature neonates. It is usually treated by intravenous calcium gluconate administration. However, complications caused by the extravasation of intravenous calcium gluconate include calcinosis cutis, calcium deposition in the dermis, which is irritating to soft tissues and can produce tissue necrosis. We report a case of iatrogenic calcinosis cutis in a 27-day-old preterm baby following the extravasation of calcium gluconate. In this case, calcinosis cutis occurred along the venous pathway in a rare vascular calcification pattern but spontaneously resolved 2 months later. Although iatrogenic calcinosis cutis is generally benign, early recognition of the extravasation of calcium gluconate is important to avoid severe complications. This report aimed to provide a warning about the risks associated with intravenous calcium gluconate and information about the course of a rare presentation of the common disease calcinosis cutis with vascular calcification.