Effectiveness of neonatal transport in New York City in neonates less than 2500 grams--a population study.

In the past two decades, there has been a gradual trend to regionalization of perinatal care, categorization of hospitals and transport services for neonatal health care. The literature alludes to both beneficial and deleterious effects of neonatal transport (T) but no controls such as a matched nontransport (NT) population have been utilized to date. The major goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of neonatal transport from Level I and II high risk less than or equal to 2500 gm. neonates (born in NYC in one calendar year, 1979) compared to a cohort nontransported population matched for hospital of birth, weight, race, sex and risk. All transported less than or equal to 2500 gm. from Level I and II (n = 328) were studied and a stratified random sample of the nontransported (NT) infants less than or equal to 2500 gm. from these same hospitals (n = 2042) was used for comparison. The principle outcome variable was survival. The major conclusion of this study is that in Level I and II hospitals the transport group had a significantly increased survival in infants who were sick (Apgar less than 6) compared to cohorted nontransported controls. Interhospital differences in survival were noted among Level I and II but not seen in the subdivisions of (A) and (B) hospitals.