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Table 1 Characteristics of the study population and pharmacological treatment

From: Pattern of drug use among preterm neonates: results from an Italian neonatal intensive care unit

 

GROUP A

GROUP B

 

N = 68

N = 91

Gesational age, weeks

 Average

26

30

 Range

22 – 32

27 – 36

Birth weight, g

 Average

739

1309

 Range

380 – 1000

1023 – 1532

Discharge age, days

 Average

57

23

 Range

2 – 218

1 – 175

Singleton birth, %

77.9

71.4

Outcome, %

 Death

17.7

3.3

 Transfer

4.4

5.5

 Home

77.9

91.2

Diseases, %

 Respiratory distress syndrome

82.4

86.8

 Anemia

75.0

35.2

 Hyperbilirubinemia

70.6

93.4

 Patent ductus arteriosus

52.9

42.9

 Sepsis

38.2

11.0

 Hyaline membrane disease

27.9

5.5

 Intrauterine growth restriction

23.5

17.6

 Central nervous system impairment

22.1

8.8

 Necrotizing enterocolitis

13.2

5.5

 Cardiac malformation

11.8

15.4

Pharmacological treatments, %

100

95.7

Number of drugs, %

  ≤ 5

0

17.6

 5–10

4.4

40.7

 11–20

51.5

33.0

  > 20

44.1

4.4

Combination of drugs, %

100

93.4

Route of administration, %

 Drugs for systemic use

100

96.7

 Drugs for topical use

82.4

57.1

 Drugs for ophthalmic use

44.1

14.3

Exposure to at least one drug with potential renal toxicitya, %

100

93.4

  1. GROUP A: birth weight ≤ 1000 g; GROUP B: birth weight >1000 g and ≤1500 g; aaccording to available data [2]