Neonatal Respiratory Distress: A Retrospective Analysis of Frequency, Etiology, and Short-Term Outcomes at Al Bayda Medical Center
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54172/vrsr6h58Keywords:
Respiratory Distress; Transient Tachypnea; Mortality; LibyaAbstract
Neonatal respiratory distress (NRD) is a global leading cause of neonatal intensive care admission and mortality. This study evaluates the frequency, etiology, and predictors of short-term mortality among newborns with NRD at Al Bayda Medical Center, Libya. A retrospective observational study reviewed medical files of neonates (n=139) admitted with NRD over a 5- month period (August- December 2023). Demographic, maternal, and clinical variables were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and multivariable logistic regression v20.0. The cohort comprised 57.6% males and 42.4% females. Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) was the most frequent etiology (51.8%), followed by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, 28.8%). Low birth weight, prematurity, and maternal problems were strongly associated with RDS (p< 0.001)., whereas TTN correlated significantly with full-term elective cesarean deliveries (p< 0.001). The overall fatality rate was 16.5%, heavily driven by RDS (69.6% of deaths). Using Firth's penalized logistic regression to account for the low events per variable ratio (32 deaths, 4 predictors), sever distress (aOR: 6.45, 95% CI: 1.59–26.13, p=0.009) and neonatal complications ((aOR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.27–12.76, p=0.018) isolated as the only independent predictors of mortality.
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