Racial Differences in Apgar Scores and Mortality and Morbidity in Low Birthweight Infants. Executive Summary and Final Report

摘要

Relationships and racial differences between Apgar scores and mortality, Grades III and IV intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and long lengths of hospital stay (>28 days) were studied in 2618 low birth weight (LBW) infants. A trend was shown of increasing odds of death with decreasing Apgar Scores. Scores lower than optimum increased the odds of severe IVH and long lengths of stay, until adjusted for other variables. Strong graded associations were seen between birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA) and mortality. Each 100 gram increase in BW contributed to a 50% decrease in the odds of a long hospitalization and each one week increase in gestation to a 43% descrease odds. No consistent associations were shown between BW and GA and severe IVH. There was better survival and a lower incidence of severe IVH for black than white infants in all but the highest weight category. No racial differences were seen for length of hospital stay.