OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of adverse outcomes for newborns with a low Apgar score. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. All 235,165 children born between 1983 and 1987 in Norway with a birth weight of at least 2500 g and no registered birth defects were followed up from birth to age 8 to 12 years by linkage of 3 national registries. Outcomes were death and cerebral palsy (CP). RESULTS: Five-minute Apgar scores of 0 to 3 were recorded for 0.1%, and scores of 4 to 6 were recorded for 0.6% of the children. Compared with children who had 5-minute Apgar scores of 7 to 10, children who had scores of 0 to 3 had a 386-fold increased risk for neonatal death (95% CI: 270-552) and an 81-fold (48-138) increased risk for CP. If Apgar scores at both 1 and 5 minutes were 0 to 3, the risks for neonatal death and CP were increased 642-fold (442-934) and 145-fold (85-248), respectively, compared with scores of 7 to 10. CONCLUSION: The strong association of low Apgar scores with death and CP in this population with a low occurrence of low scores shows that the Apgar score remains important for the early identification of infants at increased risk for serious and fatal conditions.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of adverse outcomes for newborns with a low Apgar score. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. All 235,165 children born between 1983 and 1987 in Norway with a birth weight of at least 2500 g and no registered birth defects were followed up from birth to age 8 to 12 years by linkage of 3 national registries. Outcomes were death and cerebral palsy (CP). RESULTS: Five-minute Apgar scores of 0 to 3 were recorded for 0.1%, and scores of 4 to 6 were recorded for 0.6% of the children. Compared with children who had 5-minute Apgar scores of 7 to 10, children who had scores of 0 to 3 had a 386-fold increased risk for neonatal death (95% CI: 270-552) and an 81-fold (48-138) increased risk for CP. If Apgar scores at both 1 and 5 minutes were 0 to 3, the risks for neonatal death and CP were increased 642-fold (442-934) and 145-fold (85-248), respectively, compared with scores of 7 to 10. CONCLUSION: The strong association of low Apgar scores with death and CP in this population with a low occurrence of low scores shows that the Apgar score remains important for the early identification of infants at increased risk for serious and fatal conditions.
Authors: Jan L Wallander; Carla Bann; Elwyn Chomba; Shivaprasad S Goudar; Omrana Pasha; Fred J Biasini; Elizabeth M McClure; Vanessa Thorsten; Dennis Wallace; Waldemar A Carlo Journal: Early Hum Dev Date: 2014-05-09 Impact factor: 2.079
Authors: Abbot R Laptook; Seetha Shankaran; Namasivayam Ambalavanan; Waldemar A Carlo; Scott A McDonald; Rosemary D Higgins; Abhik Das Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 7.124