Epidemiological update regarding the hospital discharge rate for neonatal polycythemia during the years 2019-2022 in Chile

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal polycythemia is a hematological condition portrayed as a venous hematocrit greater than 65% or a venous concentration exceeding 22 g/dl. Due to the lack of updated national epidemiological data, this study intends to describe the rate of hospital discharges (TEH) for neonatal polycythemia during the years 2019-2022 in Chile.

Materials and Methods: Observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional studies. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the TEH for neonatal polycythemia in the population under 1 year of age during the years 2019-2022 in Chile, based on the variables of gender and hospital stay. The data was obtained from DEIS and INE and processed using Microsoft Office Excel. An ethical committee evaluation wasn’t needed.

Results: 1,123 discharges were studied, determining a TEH for the studied period of 130.77 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest TEH occurring in 2019. A predominance in the female sex was observed, with 133.68 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The average female hospital stay was 4.59 days, which is longer in males.

Discussion: The observed downward trend in TEH could be attributed to better management of maternal and neonatal risk factors. The slight predominance of TEH in females differs in prior publications, but previous studies do not attribute a significant difference to gender. Regarding the average hospital stay, the decrease was associated with new diagnostic strategies and timely referrals. Finally, according to various studies, the male sex constitutes a risk factor for longer hospitalizations. The study provides updated data in light of the scarcity of information on the matter, serving as a relevant and novel epidemiological indicator given the lack of updated work of this kind at a national level.