Burden and Outcomes of Respiratory Diseases in Hospitalized Neonates at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Respiratory diseases constitute a significant contributor to health issues in neonates, leading to admissions to neonatal intensive care units (NICU), and many of these neonates never recover, resulting in high neonatal mortality rates with respiratory diseases. Objective: To assess the burden of respiratory diseases in hospitalized neonates and determine their outcomes, including discharges and deaths, among those admitted to neonatal intensive care units in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: An observational analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 187 neonates admitted to a neonatology department of the tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Demographical data was collected by using a structured questionnaire. The analyses were conducted using R software. The chi-square test was employed to ascertain the associations between significant factors of respiratory diseases in neonates. Results: Among the respiratory conditions requiring admission, pneumonia (n=92, 49.1%) stood out as the most frequently diagnosed respiratory disease in neonates, followed by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (n=53, 28.3%), transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) (n=18, 9.62%), and meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) (n=24, 12.8%). In terms of mortality among these respiratory conditions, pneumonia had the highest frequency (40.5%), followed by RDS (39.2%), MAS (20.2%), in neonates. Conclusion: Respiratory disorders proved to be a prevalent reason for neonatal admissions to the NICU, showcasing a significant association with neonatal mortality, especially in pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, and meconium aspiration syndrome.