ABSTRACT Objective To compare in-hospital outcomes between small-for-gestational-age and appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm neonates who needed intensive care. Methods A retrospective cohort study with preterm newborns, from January to December 2017. The results are presented as median, frequency, and odds ratio. Numerical variables were compared using the Wilcoxon test. Categorical variables were compared using the χ2 test. We considered p<0.05 as significant. Results Out of 129 preterm newborns included, 20.9% were small-for-gestational-age. Median gestational age was 31 2/7 weeks, birthweight was 1,450g, and length of hospital stay was 39 days. Preterm small-for-gestational-age newborns presented a higher chance of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (odds ratio of 3.23; p=0.02), retinopathy of prematurity (odds ratio of 2.78 p=0.02), patent ductus arteriosus (odds ratio of 2.50; p=0.04) and a lower chance of presumptive early-onset sepsis (odds ratio of 0.37; p=0.03). Conclusion Preterm small-for-gestational-age neonates were associated with peri-intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity and patent ductus arteriosus. This emphasizes the need of special care for these neonates.

OBJETIVO: Descrever a evolução clínica e as complicações da meningite bacteriana de acordo com o peso de nascimento em recém-nascidos admitidos em unidade de terapia intensiva externa durante o período de 11 anos. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 87 neonatos, dos quais 34 foram recém-nascidos de baixo peso e 53 apresentaram peso > " 2500 g. Os dados clínicos foram obtidos por análise dos prontuários médicos. Foram realizados teste exato de Fisher, teste do c² e teste de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Os sintomas neurológicos foram mais comuns em neonatos com peso > " 2500 g (p<0,05 ). As complicações ocorreram na metade dos casos em ambos os grupos, com mortalidade global de 11.5%. CONCLUSÃO: A freqüência de complicações foi alta em ambos os grupos, independentemente do peso de nascimento. Não houve associação entre óbito e peso de nascimento. Os neonatos com cultura de líquor positiva apresentaram pior prognóstico.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical outcome and the complications of bacterial meningitis according to birth weight of out born neonates admitted in intensive care unit during an 11 year-period. METHOD: Eighty-seven newborns were studied. Thirty-four infants were low birth weight newborn and 53 presented birth weight > " 2500 g. The clinical data were obtained through the analysis of patients’ files. Fisher’s exact test, the c² and the Mann-Whitney test were applied. RESULTS: Neurological symptoms were more common in infants weighed > " 2500 g (p<0.05). Complications affected half of the cases in both groups. Complications affected half of the cases in both groups, with an overall mortality rate of 11.5%. CONCLUSION: The rate of complications was high in both groups, regardless of the birth weight. No association was observed between the occurrence of death and birth weight. Infants with positive CSF culture had a poorer prognosis.