T reatments for preterm infants has improved, and key parameters such as survival rates and neurodevelopmental outcomes have been evaluated [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] . In 2003, a database of very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) was established in Japan (the Neonatal Research Network of Japan [NRNJ]) and the results of several analyses of the database have been reported [6, 7] . Since opening in 2005, our hospital has provided care for nearly half of all VLBWIs born in Kochi prefecture, Japan.

more »

... such, we feel that creating our own prefecture-wide VLBWIs database and comparing our analysis results with those of other studies would be useful. In the present study, we attempted to clarify sur-vival and neurodevelopmental outcomes and identify risk factors for death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in VLBWIs. Materials and Methods Data for our retrospective analyses were obtained from the medical records of all surviving infants who were born weighing 1,500 g at the Kochi Health Sciences Center in Kochi, Japan between March 2005 and March 2012. The cases of infants were excluded if the infants had any chromosomal abnormalities, multiple anomalies, congenital infection or disease with a poor prognosis. Confounding factors. We adjusted the data http ://escholarship.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/amo/ Original Article We sought to clarify the survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) and to identify risk factors for death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in VLBWIs at our hospital. The total study population was 217 infants born in 2005-2012 weighing 1,500 g. We compared their outcomes with those from previous reports analyzed the causes of death. Risk factors for death after discharge or NDI were evaluated by a multivariate logistic regression analysis. The incidences of death or NDI reported revealed in this study and the database of Neonatal Research Network of Japan were 25.3 and 19.6 (p=0.039), respectively. The main causes of death before discharge were intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. The significant risk factors for death after discharge or NDI were early gestational age (weeks) and periventricular leukomalacia ( adjusted odds ratio [95 confidence interval, p-value], 0.72 [0.54-0.94, 0.017] and 6.90 [1.35-38.25, 0.021], respectively). These factors must be addressed in order to improve treatment strategies for VLBWIs. Key words: intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, sepsis, very low birth weight infants