Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Currently different scoring systems are being used in order to predict the mortality risk of neonates hospitalized at neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Since all the newborns admitted to our NICU are transported from other hospitals, we created a new transport scoring system (TRANSPORT) which might accurately reflect the effect of qualified transportation on neonatal mortality. In this study we aimed to investigate the efficacy of this novel scoring system.

METHODS

In the present study factors affecting mortality and efficacy of three scoring systems: TRANSPORT, MINT and SNAP-PE II in evaluating the mortality risk of 83 neonates admitted to the NICU of Dr. Behçet Uz Children’s Hospital within the first day of life were compared prospectively.

RESULTS

Data analysis revealed that the capability of all three scoring systems in terms of mortality pediction was statistically significant (SNAP-PE II: p< 0.0001, TRANSPORT: p< 0.0001, MINT p= 0.016). Comparison of ROC curves of each group indicated that SNAP-PE II had the highest predictive value. Our TRANSPORT score had a statistically significant higher value in terms of mortality prediction when compared to MINT score which is developed especially for transported infants (AUC: Area under curve: SNAP-PE II: 0.835; TRANSPORT: 0.774; MINT: 0.657).

CONCLUSION

Scoring systems should be easy to use and provide satisfactory and prompt results regarding mortality and morbidity risks and deemed costs. Although our TRANSPORT score is a reliable scoring system in predicting short-term outcome, it has the limitations of taking too much time as a result of having to many parameters.