[Mortality and morbidity of newborn infants in intensive care (birth weight less than 1,501 grams)].

A comparative analysis of the mortality and morbidity of premature infants with a birthweight below 1.501 g, born in the years 1974, 1978 and 1981, is given. The mortality rate has remained unchanged in the years 1974 (when a neonatal intensive care unit was installed at the University Children's Hospital Graz) and 1981 with 33% and 32% respectively. The total number of admissions rose from 36 (1974) to 67 (1978) and 91 (1981). Simultaneously the number of patients, who needed neonatal intensive care increased. Whilst in 1974 only 2 of 24 surviving infants needed artificial ventilation, in 1978 19 of 38 patients had respirator therapy. Despite the increasing severity of neonatal affections the number of severe handicaps caused by perinatal complications remained constantly low with altogether 5 cases in the years 1978 and 1981. Two children had a spastic tetraplegia, two others had a posthaemorrhagic hydrocephalus and one child was blind due to bilateral septic abscesses of the vitreous body. Only two of these children had long time artificial ventilation. Approximately 80% of the surviving children exhibited normal psychomotor development and showed no neurological sequelae. This rate was unchanged in the investigated periods.