Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit

Elizabeth B. Heyward; Reese H. Clark; P. Brian Smith; Daniel K. Benjamin; Kanecia O. Zimmerman; Kaashif A. Ahmad; Courtney K. Blackwell; Hannah Won; Rachel Ssengonzi; Avi Belbase; Courage O. Ndalama; Jennifer An; Ogugua Nwaezeigwe; Rachel G. Greenberg

doi:10.1038/s41372-023-01725-1

Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit

Elizabeth B. Heyward, Reese H. Clark, P. Brian Smith, Daniel K. Benjamin, Kanecia O. Zimmerman, Kaashif A. Ahmad, Courtney K. Blackwell, Hannah Won, Rachel Ssengonzi, Avi Belbase, Courage O. Ndalama, Jennifer An, Ogugua Nwaezeigwe, Rachel G. Greenberg^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Medical Social Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Characterize the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis among mothers with infants hospitalized in 294 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and demographics and outcomes of infants with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure in utero. Study design: Cohort study of infants discharged from NICUs 01/2020–09/2021. We defined groups based on infant diagnosis, infant testing, and maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection status. We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Of 150,924 infants, 94% had no COVID-related diagnosis or test; 247 (0.2%) infants tested positive for COVID-19 and were more likely to require mechanical ventilation. Infants with unknown maternal status and negative testing were more commonly premature, outborn, and had longer hospitalizations. Conclusion: In this large cohort of hospitalized infants, most had no known exposure to COVID-19. Adverse outcomes and mortality were rare. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of COVID-19 in this population.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	35-39
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Perinatology
Volume	44
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01725-1
State	Published - Jan 2024

Funding

This work was supported by Duke Clinical Research Institute’s R25 Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program (grant #5R25HD076475-09). This work was also funded by a COVID-19 Supplement (3U24TR001608-05S2), in part by the Duke University-Vanderbilt University Medical Center Trial Innovation Center (U24TR001608), and by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Recruitment Innovation Center (U24TR001579), which is part of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Trial Innovation Network. This work is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Obstetrics and Gynecology

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10.1038/s41372-023-01725-1

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Heyward, E. B., Clark, R. H., Smith, P. B., Benjamin, D. K., Zimmerman, K. O., Ahmad, K. A., Blackwell, C. K., Won, H., Ssengonzi, R., Belbase, A., Ndalama, C. O., An, J., Nwaezeigwe, O., & Greenberg, R. G. (2024). Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Perinatology, 44(1), 35-39. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01725-1

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title = "Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit",

abstract = "Objective: Characterize the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis among mothers with infants hospitalized in 294 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and demographics and outcomes of infants with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure in utero. Study design: Cohort study of infants discharged from NICUs 01/2020–09/2021. We defined groups based on infant diagnosis, infant testing, and maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection status. We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Of 150,924 infants, 94% had no COVID-related diagnosis or test; 247 (0.2%) infants tested positive for COVID-19 and were more likely to require mechanical ventilation. Infants with unknown maternal status and negative testing were more commonly premature, outborn, and had longer hospitalizations. Conclusion: In this large cohort of hospitalized infants, most had no known exposure to COVID-19. Adverse outcomes and mortality were rare. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of COVID-19 in this population.",

author = "Heyward, {Elizabeth B.} and Clark, {Reese H.} and Smith, {P. Brian} and Benjamin, {Daniel K.} and Zimmerman, {Kanecia O.} and Ahmad, {Kaashif A.} and Blackwell, {Courtney K.} and Hannah Won and Rachel Ssengonzi and Avi Belbase and Ndalama, {Courage O.} and Jennifer An and Ogugua Nwaezeigwe and Greenberg, {Rachel G.}",

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year = "2024",

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Heyward, EB, Clark, RH, Smith, PB, Benjamin, DK, Zimmerman, KO, Ahmad, KA, Blackwell, CK, Won, H, Ssengonzi, R, Belbase, A, Ndalama, CO, An, J, Nwaezeigwe, O & Greenberg, RG 2024, 'Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit', Journal of Perinatology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 35-39. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01725-1

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AU - Clark, Reese H.

AU - Smith, P. Brian

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AU - Zimmerman, Kanecia O.

AU - Ahmad, Kaashif A.

AU - Blackwell, Courtney K.

AU - Won, Hannah

AU - Ssengonzi, Rachel

AU - Belbase, Avi

AU - Ndalama, Courage O.

AU - An, Jennifer

AU - Nwaezeigwe, Ogugua

AU - Greenberg, Rachel G.

PY - 2024/1

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N2 - Objective: Characterize the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis among mothers with infants hospitalized in 294 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and demographics and outcomes of infants with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure in utero. Study design: Cohort study of infants discharged from NICUs 01/2020–09/2021. We defined groups based on infant diagnosis, infant testing, and maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection status. We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Of 150,924 infants, 94% had no COVID-related diagnosis or test; 247 (0.2%) infants tested positive for COVID-19 and were more likely to require mechanical ventilation. Infants with unknown maternal status and negative testing were more commonly premature, outborn, and had longer hospitalizations. Conclusion: In this large cohort of hospitalized infants, most had no known exposure to COVID-19. Adverse outcomes and mortality were rare. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of COVID-19 in this population.

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Trends in COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit

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