Clinical profile and outcomes of cardiac patients in a neonatal intensive care unit in São Luís, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical profile and hospital outcomes of neonates with congenital heart disease admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Methods: This observational, retrospective, descriptive study included newborns with congenital heart disease hospitalized between March and August 2022. Data were obtained from medical records and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and GraphPad Prism 10.2. Results: The sample comprised 55 neonates, predominantly male (65%), with a mean gestational age of 38.6 ± 2.85 weeks and a mean birth weight of 3,090 ± 728 g. Most had adequate Apgar scores at the 1st and 5th minutes. Respiratory distress was the main reason for admission, and atrial septal defect was the most prevalent isolated congenital heart defect. Invasive mechanical ventilation was required in 73% of cases. Hospital discharge occurred in 71% and death in 20%, with septic shock and neonatal sepsis among the main associated causes. Conclusion: Male, full-term, and appropriate-birth-weight neonates predominated, with a high requirement for invasive mechanical ventilation. Despite the clinical complexity of this population, most patients were discharged from the hospital.