Association of unit size, resource utilization and occupancy with outcomes of preterm infants

Objective:assess association of nicu size, and occupancy rate and resource utilization at admission with neonatal outcome.study design:retrospective cohort study of 9978 infants born at 23–32 weeks gestation and admitted to 23 tertiary-level canadian nicus during 2010–2012. adjusted odds ratios (aor) were estimated for a composite outcome of mortality/any major morbidity with respect to nicu size, occupancy rate and intensity of resource utilization at admission.results:a total of 2889 (29%) infants developed the composite outcome, the odds of which were higher for 16–29, 30–36 and >36-bed nicus compared with <16-bed nicus (aor (95% ci): 1.47 (1.25–1.73); 1.49 (1.25–1.78); 1.55 (1.29–1.87), respectively) and for nicus with higher resource utilization at admission (aor: 1.30 (1.08–1.56), q4 vs q1) but not different according to nicu occupancy.conclusion:larger nicus and more intense resource utilization at admission are associated with higher odds of a composite adverse outcome in very preterm infants.