TITLE:
Predictors of Mortality in Neonates with Congenital Anterior Abdominal Wall Defects: A Twelve-Year Review of Records in a Tertiary Health Centre
AUTHORS:
Andrew Haruna Shitta, Ezekiel Dido Dung, Solomon Danjuma Peter, Daanan Joseph Shilong, Linus Anthony, Uche Agwu Arua, Victor Ibukun Imade, Elijah Danladi Wuyep, Godwin Oko Adariku, Abraham Isha Ashom, Mercy Wakili Isichei, Francis Aba Uba, Lofha Bali Chirdan
KEYWORDS:
Predictors, Mortality, Neonates, Abdominal-Wall, Defects
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.15 No.4,
July
14,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: Anterior abdominal wall defect is a spectrum of congenital malformations arising from defective fusion or development of the embryonic folds. Gastroschisis and omphalocele constitute the majority of cases. Methods: A retrospective study of newborns with anterior abdominal wall defects at our facility from February 2012 to June 2023. Results: A Total of 142 newborns presented with anterior abdominal wall defects. Females 74 and males 68, ratio of 0.9:1. Median age at presentation was 18.5 hours. Mean birth weight was 2.6 ± 0.6 kg, range of 1.1 kg - 4.2 kg. There were 120 (83.8%) newborns with omphalocele, 14 (9.9%) with gastroschisis, prune belly 3 (2.1%), bladder exstrophy, cloacal exstrophy, a set of conjoined twins and pentalogy of Cantrell 1 (0.7%) each. Of the 120 with omphalocele, 107 were omphalocele major, 13 omphalocele minor while 45 (37.5%) presented with ruptured membrane. Complication: sepsis (38, 26.7%). Length of hospital stay 0.2 days - 63 days, mean of 15 days. Mortality 62 (43.7%), treated and discharged home 80 (56.3%). Of the 62 mortalities, 45 (72.6%) occurred in week one. Case fatality rate: pentalogy of Cantrell 1(100%), Gastroschisis 13 (92.85%) and omphalocele major 44 (41.1%). Of the 44 mortalities with omphalocele major, 26 (51.1%) had ruptured membranes. Logistic regression: birth weight (OR = 0.209, CI = 0.083 - 0.525, p = 0.001); Duration of hospital stay (OR = 0.287, CI = 0.287 - 9.985, p Conclusion: Low birth weight and type of defect (ruptured omphalocele and gastroschisis) were significant predictors of mortality.