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Survival prognosis of newborns from an intensive care unit through the SNAP-PE II risk score

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Although child mortality has declined significantly in recent decades, the reduction of neonatal mortality remains a major challenge as neonatal mortality represents 2/3 of the mortality rate in this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension II (SNAP-PE II) score for evaluating the survival prognosis of newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODS:

The study design involved an observational cross-sectional retrospective collection, as well as a prospective component. The sample included all newborns admitted to the NICU validated by the SNAP-PE II tool from January 1 to December 31, 2014.

RESULTS:

A predominance of young mothers (25.4 years), underwent prenatal care (86.2%), however a considerable percentage (49.4%) of mothers received insufficient medical consultation (less than six consults during their pregnancy). A prevalence of male admissions (62.4%) were noted in the NICU. Premature (61.7%) and underweight (weight <2,500 grams) newborns were also prevalent. The SNAP-PE II score showed an association between the infants who were discharged from the neonatal unit and the non-survivors. An increased prevalence of low birth weight and hypothermia was noted in the group of non-survivors. The mean arterial pressure appears to be a significant risk factor in the newborn group that progressed to death. Hypothermia, mean arterial pressure, and birth weight were the most significant variables associated with death.

CONCLUSION:

The SNAP-PE II was a beneficial indicator of neonatal mortality. The prevention of prematurity and hypothermia by improving maternity care and newborn care can decisively influence neonatal mortality.

Hypothermia; Low Weight; Neonatal Intensive Care Units; Newborn; Risk Assessment; SNAP-PE II


INTRODUCTION

Newborn (NB) health is of fundamental importance to the reduction of child mortality, the promotion of a better quality of life, and the reduction of inequality in health (11. Richardson DK, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman K, Goldman DA. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology: a physiologic severity index for neonatal intensive care. Pediatrics. 1993;91(3):617-23.).

The health of children with very low birth weight (VLBW) is a current focus of interest and concern. NB survival reflects the service structure for pregnant women and newborn infants in various regions and countries. Current studies indicate that neonatal intensive care reduces the rate of neonatal mortality and morbidity, especially in high risk NB groups, including premature babies, patients with severe congenital malformations, and patients with diseases requiring surgery (22. Melo AM, Kassar SB, Lira PI, Coutinho SB, Eickmann SH, Lima MC. Characteristics and factors associated with health care in children younger than 1 year with very low birth weight. J Pediatr. 2013;89(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.012
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.0...
).

As an indicator of the living conditions and health of the population, infant mortality in Brazil is progressively declining, although at a slow rate. Specific efforts from the entire society, especially from health workers and prenatal services, are required to accelerate its’ reduction and achieve improved rates for the Brazilian population. Neonatal mortality (between 0 and 27 days of life) comprises approximately 60% to 70% of child mortality, therefore further advances in the health of Brazilian NBs are of significant relevance (33. [No authors listed]. The CRIB (Clinical risk index for babies) score: a tool for assessing initial neonatal risk and comparing performance of neonatal intensive care units. The International Neonatal Network. Lancet. 1993;342(8865):193-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)92296-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)922...
).

The increase in the survival rate of premature infants, especially among infants with VLBW, has been observed in developed, as well as developing countries. The vulnerability of these babies, the risk of dying, and the incidence of sequels resulting from the conditions of their birth highlight the need for monitoring and evaluating their long-term prognoses (22. Melo AM, Kassar SB, Lira PI, Coutinho SB, Eickmann SH, Lima MC. Characteristics and factors associated with health care in children younger than 1 year with very low birth weight. J Pediatr. 2013;89(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.012
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.0...
).

Measurements of disease severity and the risk of death in newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) have grown in importance. Risk scores have been used in various situations and allow useful comparisons between countries, times, intensive care units, and treatment groups. A major application of risk scores involves the clarification of unexplained variations in practices and newborn development in dissimilar intensive care units. Risk scores are a useful method to improve the quality of care and assist in planning and monitoring treatment capabilities (44. Bastos G, Gomes A, Oliveira P, da Silva AT. A comparison of 4 pregnancy assessment scales (CRIB, SNAP, SNAP-PE, NTISS) in premature newborns. Clinical Risk Index for Babies. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-Perinatal Extension. Neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System. Acta Med Port. 1997;10(2-3):161-5.).

After more than a decade, various scores such as the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology (SNAP) and subsequently, the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension (SNAP-PE), have been proposed for use in assessing birth weight, small-for-gestational age status, and the Apgar score (55. Richardson DK, Corcoran JD, Escobar GJ, Lee SK. SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II: Simplified newborn illness severity and mortality risk scores. J Pediatr. 2001;138(1):92-100. https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608
https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608...
). SNAP-II is designed for the measurement of physiologic severity of illness, whereas SNAPPE-II is more appropriate for risk adjustment, as it considers the independent effects of nonphysiologic baseline characteristics. The scores predicted death accurately in a large cohort of 14,610 infants in the original validation (11. Richardson DK, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman K, Goldman DA. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology: a physiologic severity index for neonatal intensive care. Pediatrics. 1993;91(3):617-23.). Since then, SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II have facilitated the comparison of practices and outcomes in two very large neonatal networks, namely the Canadian Neonatal Network and the Kaiser Permanente network of NICUs in California (22. Melo AM, Kassar SB, Lira PI, Coutinho SB, Eickmann SH, Lima MC. Characteristics and factors associated with health care in children younger than 1 year with very low birth weight. J Pediatr. 2013;89(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.012
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.0...
,33. [No authors listed]. The CRIB (Clinical risk index for babies) score: a tool for assessing initial neonatal risk and comparing performance of neonatal intensive care units. The International Neonatal Network. Lancet. 1993;342(8865):193-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)92296-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)922...
). These scores were validated and re-applied in various studies and in various countries (11. Richardson DK, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman K, Goldman DA. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology: a physiologic severity index for neonatal intensive care. Pediatrics. 1993;91(3):617-23.

2. Melo AM, Kassar SB, Lira PI, Coutinho SB, Eickmann SH, Lima MC. Characteristics and factors associated with health care in children younger than 1 year with very low birth weight. J Pediatr. 2013;89(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.012
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.02.0...

3. [No authors listed]. The CRIB (Clinical risk index for babies) score: a tool for assessing initial neonatal risk and comparing performance of neonatal intensive care units. The International Neonatal Network. Lancet. 1993;342(8865):193-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)92296-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(93)922...

4. Bastos G, Gomes A, Oliveira P, da Silva AT. A comparison of 4 pregnancy assessment scales (CRIB, SNAP, SNAP-PE, NTISS) in premature newborns. Clinical Risk Index for Babies. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-Perinatal Extension. Neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System. Acta Med Port. 1997;10(2-3):161-5.
-55. Richardson DK, Corcoran JD, Escobar GJ, Lee SK. SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II: Simplified newborn illness severity and mortality risk scores. J Pediatr. 2001;138(1):92-100. https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608
https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608...

Given the difficulty in collecting data, the authors produced a simpler version of the SNAP-PE with fewer items to be evaluated. It is termed the SNAP-PE II, and thereby increases the use of the tool, thus increasing the scores assigned to perinatal variables (55. Richardson DK, Corcoran JD, Escobar GJ, Lee SK. SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II: Simplified newborn illness severity and mortality risk scores. J Pediatr. 2001;138(1):92-100. https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608
https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608...
,66. Escobar GJ, Greene JD, Hulac P, Kincannon E, Bischoff K, Gardner MN, et al. Rehospitalisation after birth hospitalisation: patterns among infants of all gestations. Arch Dis Child. 2005;90(2):125-31. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2003.039974
https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2003.039974...
). Considering this, the objective of this study was to assess the utility of the SNAP-PE II score for evaluating the survival prognosis of newborns admitted to a NICU.

METHODS

Design and data collection

We performed a prospective cross-sectional study, that included 209 newborns admitted to the NICU of one Hospital in the city of Itapecerica da Serra in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The following exclusion criteria were applied: congenital malformations incompatible with life; death during the initial 24 hours of admission to the NICU; NICU discharge before completion of 24 hours of admission; patients admitted to the ICU over 12 hours of life and patients with insufficient medical record data that compromised the calculation of scores. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee and subjects signed written informed consent for participation in project number: 556051.

Variables

Mean arterial pressure was measured using Dixtal® and Ranger® oscillometric tensiometers. For several newborns with the need for invasive mechanism pulmonary ventilation associated or not with continuous infusion of vasoactive drugs in the presence of great difficulty in measuring blood pressure using the oscillometric method, mean blood pressure values less than 20 mmHg were considered.

The lowest temperature in degrees Celsius obtained for the study was taken in the axillary region during the first 12 hours of life. The thermometers used were the: Termo MED® and Garatherm Medical AG® brands.

The only examination that was part of the service's routine collection, (that was used for the measurement scores), was arterial blood gases.

The data collected from arterial blood gases were: hydrogen potential serum (pH) and arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2). The relationship between PaO2 and Inspired Oxygen Fraction (FiO2), PaO2 / FiO2 ratio was used to calculate the score.

Patients who developed seizures in the first 12 hours of life were divided into two groups: 1. absence or presence of a single episode, and 2. multiple episodes of seizures.

The diuresis obtained during the first 12 hours of hospitalization was obtained by urine collection with: Cremer® collection bags, Rusch® brand urethral tubes, or the weight of Karícia® brand diapers. For the weight of the diapers, FILIZOLA brand pediatric scales were used. Birth weight in grams was obtained in the delivery room. Patients were weighed by the attending physician responsible for Neonatal Resuscitation or the nurse responsible for that division.

The Gestational Age was obtained through calculation by the Capurro method (2121. Capurro H, Konichezky S, Fonseca D, Caldeyro-Barcia R. A simplified method for diagnosis of gestational age in newborn infant. J Pediatr. 1978;93(1):120-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(78)80621-0
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(78)80...
) for patients aged 34 weeks or older, and by the “New Ballard” method (2222. Ballard JL, Khoury JC, Wedig K, Wang L, Eilers-Walsman BL, Lipp R. New Ballard Score, expanded to include extremely premature infants. J Pediatr. 1991;119(3):417-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(05)82056-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(05)82...
,2323. Ballard JL, Novak KK, Driver M. A simplified score for assessment of fetal maturation of newly born infants. J Pediatr. 1979;95(5 Pt 1):769-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(79)80734-9
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(79)80...
) for patients younger than 34 weeks. A SGA (small for gestational age) newborn was considered to be one whose weight was below the 3% percentile for their gestational age (2424. Ministério da Saúde. Síntese de evidências para políticas de saúde. Brasil. Available from: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/sintese_evidencias_politicas_saude_1ed.pdf
http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoe...
).

The Apgar score for the fifth minute of life was established by the physician responsible for the delivery room of each patient.

Data collection Instrument

The risk of mortality, obtained through the SNAP-PE II, was subsequently calculated by the researcher via the program used by the French Society of Anesthesia and Reanimation. The physiological and laboratory parameters collected within 12 hours of each patient delivered were used to generate a score proportional to the severity of the disease that ranged from 0 to 162 points.

Statistical analysis

The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare quantitative variables between the death and survivor groups. Fisher's exact test was used to study associations between risk factors and the non-survivor and survivor groups. The significance level was p<0.05.

RESULTS

A predominance of young mothers (25.4 years) underwent prenatal care (86.2%). However, a considerable percentage (49.4%) of mothers received insufficient medical consultation (less than six consults during the pregnancy).

A prevalence of male admissions (62.4%) were noted in the NICU where the study was conducted. Premature (61.7%) and underweight (weight <2,500 grams, median=2217 grams) newborns were also prevalent.

In the assessment of the individual components of the SNAP-PE II score (Table 1), an association was established between the infants who were discharged from the neonatal unit and the non-survivors. The average weight was lower in the non-survivor group (mean=1,654 grams, median=1,100 grams, p=0.0028; Mann-Whitney test). In addition, increased hypothermia was observed in the non-survivor group (p=0.0093; Mann-Whitney test).

We assessed the SNAP-PE II score components, comparing risk factors among the NB groups (Table 2). An increased prevalence of low birth weight and hypothermia was noted in the group of non-survivors (p<0.0001 for both cases, Mann-Whitney test). In Table 2, the mean arterial pressure appears to be a significant risk factor in the newborn group that progressed to death (p=0.0002, Mann-Whitney test).

Table 1
Individual values of the components of SNAP-PE II score based on death or survival of newborns.

Table 2
Risk Factors from SNAP-PE II related to the death or survival of newborns studied.

Table 3 presents the concomitance of the variables that form the SNAP-PE II. Hypothermia, mean arterial pressure, and birth weight were the most significant variables associated with death.

Table 3
Concomitance of the components from the risk score SNAP-PE II among newborns that survived (n=163).

DISCUSSION

The risk scores are based on physiological, subjective and objectives applied to patients admitted to an intensive care unit. The subjective view of health professionals served as the foundation of the scores’ prognoses; a simple observation often served to define the evolution, prognosis and treatment to be adopted (55. Richardson DK, Corcoran JD, Escobar GJ, Lee SK. SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II: Simplified newborn illness severity and mortality risk scores. J Pediatr. 2001;138(1):92-100. https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608
https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2001.109608...
). With the advancement of medical technology, it was recognized that this subjective view was not enough to direct the treatment of patients. From this deduction, objective criteria began to be more valued, such as clinical data (anamnesis and physical examination), laboratory tests and imaging (1515. Richardson DK, Phibbs CS, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman-Daniels K, Goldman DA. Birth weight and illness severity: independent predictors of neonatal mortality. Pediatrics. 1993;91(5):969-75.).

The initial versions underwent improvement through mathematical models based on the analysis of a sufficient amount of data gathered from multicenter studies.

The APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation), was created in 1981. It was the first generic prognostic system created for adult patients admitted to intensive care units. Due to the complexity of the original system, a new model was improved in 1985, reducing the number of variables examined and facilitating its’ use. In 1991 there was a further improvement from the study of a sample of 17,440 patients (2525. Giongo MS. Comparação entre cinco escores de mortalidade em UTI pediátrica. 2007. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. Available from: http://repositorio.pucrs.br:80/dspace/handle/10923/4662
http://repositorio.pucrs.br:80/dspace/ha...
).

In the field of Pediatric Intensive Care, some scores have been created and improved over time such as: PSI (Physiologic Stability Index), PRISM (Pediatric Risk of Mortality), PIM (Pediatric Index for Mortality) and a multiple dysfunction assessment model for organs, the PELOD (Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction) (2626. Zardo MS, Procianoy RS. Comparação entre diferentes escores de risco de mortalidade em unidade de tratamento intensivo neonatal. Rev Saude Publica. 2003;37(5):591-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102003000500007
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-8910200300...
).

In 1993, there were three neonatal mortality risk scores created for newborns admitted to intensive care units. They were based on models of logistic regression and included clinical and laboratory data from the first 12 to 24 hours of life: CRIB (Clinical Risk Index for Babies), SNAP and SNAP-PE (Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension) (2727. Garcia PC. [Prognostic indicators in neonatology]. J Pediatr. 2001;77(6):436. https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.346
https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.346...
).

In order to increase newborns' survival rates in Neonatal Therapy Units, these prognostic assessment indexes have been studied and improved. The prediction of morbidity and mortality in this age group is based on factors such as weight at birth, gestational age, pregnancy and delivery condition characteristics, children's physiological characteristics and the severity of their illnesses (1515. Richardson DK, Phibbs CS, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman-Daniels K, Goldman DA. Birth weight and illness severity: independent predictors of neonatal mortality. Pediatrics. 1993;91(5):969-75.).

In Brazil, specific studies on neonatal mortality have become increasingly important considering the increased involvement of the neonatal component in infant deaths. In recent years, the viability of live births has been increasing, and these babies now survive for a longer period. This is through the use of more advanced technology to care for the NB and medicines available for prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care (77. Lee SK, Lee DS, Andrews WL, Baboolal R, Pendray M, Stewart S, et al. Higher mortality rates among inborn infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units at night. J Pediatr. 2003;143(5):592-7. https://doi.org/10.1067/S0022-3476(03)00367-6
https://doi.org/10.1067/S0022-3476(03)00...
,88. Chien LY, Whyte R, Thiessen P, Walker R, Brabyn D, Lee SK. SNAP-II predicts severe intraventricular hemorrhage and chronic lung disease in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 2002;22(1):26-30. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210585
https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210585...
). In this study, an increased prevalence of low birth weight and hypothermia were noted in the non-survivor group. Birth weight is an important indicator of the health of the population as it reflects the social, economic, and environmental conditions to which the woman is subject during the gestation period. In addition, low birth weight or being underweight are the main risk factors for the survival of the NB and is predictive of the quality of life.

The mortality of VLBW (birth weight less than 1,500 grams) newborns in 41 Brazilian hospitals that participate in the “Analysis and Intervention for Neonatal Care Improvement” project was 32.7% from 2009 to 2011. This rate increased 2.5-fold compared with the Vermont Oxford Network, which was 12.5% in 2008 with a median of 750 participating institutions (99. Chien LY, Whyte R, Aziz K, Thiessen P, Matthew D, Lee SK, et al. Improved outcome of preterm infants when delivered in tertiary care centers. Obstet Gynecol. 2001;98(2):247-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-7844(01)01438-7
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-7844(01)01...

10. Kadivar M, Sagheb S, Bavafa F, Moghadam L, Eshrati B. Neonatal Mortality Risk Assessment in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Iran J Ped. 2007;17(4):325-31.

11. Kochanek KD, Xu J, Murphy SL, Minião AM, Kung HC. Deaths: final data for 2009. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2011;60(3):1-116.
-1212. Horbar JD, Soll RF, Edwards WH. The Vermont Oxford Network: a community of practice. Clin Perinatol. 2010;37(1):29-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2010.01.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2010.01.00...
). Data from the Brazilian Network of Neonatal Research indicated that the median survival of these NB was 83.7% in 2010. Data from Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research indicates a survival rate of 84% in 2008 that increased to 86% in 2009. Various indicators are also better in some South American countries compared with Brazil. There is an urgent need for investment in an appropriate strategic plan that brings together local, state, and federal levels to form a hierarchy and regionalize perinatal care services (1212. Horbar JD, Soll RF, Edwards WH. The Vermont Oxford Network: a community of practice. Clin Perinatol. 2010;37(1):29-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2010.01.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2010.01.00...
- 1313. Fanaroff AA, Stoll BJ, Wright LL, Carlo WA, Ehrenkranz RA, Stark AR, et al. Trends in neonatal morbidity and mortality for very low birthweight infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;196(2):147.e1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2006.09.014
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2006.09.0...
).

Hypothermia in preterm infants is of great concern. This condition occurs frequently and is a risk factor for a poor prognosis, increased morbidity, and neonatal mortality. Thus, strategies to prevent heat loss can impact the morbidity and mortality of NBs, especially preterm NBs, and can improve their prognosis (1414. Barbosa AP. Terapia intensiva neonatal e pediátrica no Brasil: o ideal, o real e o possível. J Pediatr. 2004;80(6):437-8. https://doi.org/10.2223/1254
https://doi.org/10.2223/1254...
). The World Health Organization defines 36.5 to 37°C as a normal range of temperature in NBs and classifies hypothermia according to the severity of the cold exposure: potential cold stress (mild hypothermia, temperature between 36 and 36.4°C); moderate hypothermia (temperature between 32-35.9°C); severe hypothermia (temperature less than 32°C) (1414. Barbosa AP. Terapia intensiva neonatal e pediátrica no Brasil: o ideal, o real e o possível. J Pediatr. 2004;80(6):437-8. https://doi.org/10.2223/1254
https://doi.org/10.2223/1254...
).

Hypothermia leads to decreased surfactant production and increased oxygen consumption. It causes depletion of caloric reserves, contributing to the development or worsening of respiratory failure. In severe hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia, irregular breathing, decreased activity, weak suck, decreased reflexes, nausea and vomiting, metabolic acidosis, hypoglycemia, hyperkalemia, azotemia, and oliguria may occur. In addition, generalized bleeding, pulmonary hemorrhage, and death have been infrequently noted (1414. Barbosa AP. Terapia intensiva neonatal e pediátrica no Brasil: o ideal, o real e o possível. J Pediatr. 2004;80(6):437-8. https://doi.org/10.2223/1254
https://doi.org/10.2223/1254...
). In our study, the lack of a protocol aimed at thermoregulatory care of the NB, including care in the birth room, during transport, and in the NICU, could have contributed positively to the increased hypothermia observed in the non-survivor group.

Concerning the mean arterial pressure, no consensus is available on the appropriate setting for a premature VLBW infant. The Joint Working Group of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine recommends that the mean arterial pressure in mmHg should be maintained equal to or higher than the gestational age in premature weeks. However, the lack of a protocol for measurements from the catheterization of the umbilical artery as well as the lack of consensus on the normal values for this variable could compromise the results (1515. Richardson DK, Phibbs CS, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman-Daniels K, Goldman DA. Birth weight and illness severity: independent predictors of neonatal mortality. Pediatrics. 1993;91(5):969-75.). Systemic hypotension is a relatively common complication in preterm NBs with VLBW in the first 72 hours of life and has been associated with mortality, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and neurodevelopmental morbidity (1515. Richardson DK, Phibbs CS, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman-Daniels K, Goldman DA. Birth weight and illness severity: independent predictors of neonatal mortality. Pediatrics. 1993;91(5):969-75.,1616. Azhan A, Wong FY. Challenges in understanding the impact of blood pressure management on cerebral oxygenation in the preterm brain. Front Physiol. 2012;3:471. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00471
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00471...
).

A final important aspect to be addressed is the fact that several studies have indicated that the Apgar score is flawed as the sole criterion for the diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia. Premature NBs have low Apgar scores without presenting fetal acidemia. A significant correlation has been noted between gestational age and Apgar scores in the first and fifth minutes of life. The more premature the NB the greater the probability of a low Apgar score as well as arterial cord blood pH within a normal range (1717. Procianoy RS, Silveira RC. Síndrome hipóxico-isquêmica. J Pediatr. 2001;77 Suppl 1:S63-70. https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.220
https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.220...
).

In term NBs, the Apgar score is not trustworthy for the diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia. Thorp and collaborators reported a pH >7.10 in the umbilical arterial blood of 77.8% of NBs with depressed terms (Apgar scores in the 1st or the 5th minute of life <7); (1717. Procianoy RS, Silveira RC. Síndrome hipóxico-isquêmica. J Pediatr. 2001;77 Suppl 1:S63-70. https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.220
https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.220...
). The Apgar score is not used to determine the initiation of resuscitation or the interventions to be established during the proceedings. However, its’ application allows assessment of the patient's response to the interventions that are performed and the effectiveness of those interventions. Thus, if the score is below 7 in the 5th minute, it is recommended that these interventions are performed every 5 minutes up to 20 minutes of life. It is necessary to document the Apgar score in a manner that is concomitant with the executed resuscitation procedures (1818. Afjeh SA, Sabzehei MK, Esmaili F. Neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room from a tertiary level hospital: risk factors and outcome. Iran J Pediatr. 2013;23(6):675-80.). The prognosis of premature infants who require advanced resuscitation intervention is more guarded, therefore the presence of health workers who are properly trained to assist this population becomes essential.

Although performed in an environment with the shortest route and an apparent guarantee of safety for the NB, intra-hospital transport may constitute additional risk to the patient. Improving assistance in the birth room to the smallest premature NB (<34 weeks) and adherence to the High Risk Newborn transport protocols could reduce the risk of hypothermia and improve ventilatory support. Thus, this would contribute to the reduction of the SNAP-PE II scores, which subsequently correspond to a reduced risk of death.

According to the study of Sundaram et al. (1919. Sundaram V, Dutta S, Ahluwalia J, Narang A. Score for neonatal acute physiology II predicts mortality and persistent organ dysfunction in neonates with severe septicemia. Indian Pediatr. 2009;46(9):775-80.), the median SNAP-PE II score was significantly increased in babies who died compared with those who survived. In a study developed by Dammam et al. (2020. Dammann O, Shah B, Naples M, Bednarek F, Zupancic J, Allred EN, et al. Interinstitutional variation in prediction of death by SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II among extremely preterm infants. Pediatrics. 2009;124(5):e1001-6. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-3233
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-3233...
), the authors defined a SNAP-PE II value of greater than 30 as “high” and a risk of death of 28% for the participants. Besides, they showed that a SNAP-PE II score greater than 45 predicted, approximately, a 7-fold more likely death compared with lower SNAP-PE II values. Our group published an editorial in 2019 (2828. Lima RO, França CN, Júnior AA, de Souza PC. Snappe II as a useful score to evaluate mortality among newborns. Ann Pediatr Child Health. 2019;7:1165.) showing a cut-off point considered “high risk” for mortality based on the SNAP-PE II score. The data were compared with the results presented by Richardson et al. (11. Richardson DK, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman K, Goldman DA. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology: a physiologic severity index for neonatal intensive care. Pediatrics. 1993;91(3):617-23.), who assessed 755 deaths from a study of 25,280 newborns (2.98%). If we consider a value greater than 30 as “high” as Dammam et al. (2020. Dammann O, Shah B, Naples M, Bednarek F, Zupancic J, Allred EN, et al. Interinstitutional variation in prediction of death by SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II among extremely preterm infants. Pediatrics. 2009;124(5):e1001-6. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-3233
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-3233...
) identified in their study, we observe significant agreement with our study. In 76.9% of those who had a fatal outcome, a score greater than 30 was observed. When we applied the value of 30 as a cut-off in Richardson’s (11. Richardson DK, Gray JE, McCormick MC, Workman K, Goldman DA. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology: a physiologic severity index for neonatal intensive care. Pediatrics. 1993;91(3):617-23.) sample, we found that 75.7% of those who died had a score greater than 30, which was similar to the percentage noted in our study. In our study, a high SNAP-PE II score (greater than 30) was noted in 76.9% of those who had a fatal outcome. This finding indicates that the score was a beneficial indicator of mortality in the newborn population.

The limitation of this study was a cross-sectional study design which has its’ own limitations, including response and recall biases, as well as the difficulty of establishing a temporal relationship between the exposures and outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The SNAP-PE II was a beneficial indicator for neonatal mortality. The prevention of prematurity and hypothermia by improving maternity care and newborn care can decisively influence neonatal mortality.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Hospital in the city of Itapecerica da Serra in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who supported the collection of the data and evaluation of the patients.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    10 Aug 2020
  • Date of issue
    2020

History

  • Received
    6 Jan 2020
  • Accepted
    9 Apr 2020
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