Outcome parameters of control group and intervention group in both NICUs
| Outcome | Control group (280 infants: NICU1+NICU2) | NIB intervention group (281 infants: NICU1+NICU2) | aORs and 95% CI |
| Primary composite outcome: new or progressive GMH-IVH within first 72 hours, in-hospital death or c-PVL, number of patients (%) | 86 (31%) | 49 (17%) | aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.65, p<0.001 |
| 45 NICU1 | 18 NICU1 | ||
| 41 NICU2 | 31 NICU2 | ||
| New or progressive GMH-IVH within first 72 hours after birth, number of patients (%) | 65 (23%) | 27 (10%) | aOR 0.34; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.56, p<0.001 |
| 33 NICU1 | 7 NICU1 | ||
| 32 NICU2 | 20 NICU2 | ||
| c-PVL, number of patients (%) | 3 (1%) | 2 (1%) | aOR 0.71; 95% CI 0.11 to 4.43, p=0.71 |
| 2 NICU1 | 1 NICU1 | ||
| 1 NICU2 | 1 NICU2 | ||
| In-hospital death, number of patients (%) | 28 (10%) | 29 (10%) | aOR 1.04; 95% CI 0.55 to 1.95, p=0.90 |
| 14 NICU1 | 13 NICU1 | ||
| 14 NICU2 | 16 NICU2 | ||
| Composite outcome: new or progressive severe* GMH-IVH within first 72 hours, in-hospital death or c-PVL, number of patients (%) | 55 (20%) | 37 (13%) | aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.91, p=0.02 |
| 30 NICU1 | 16 NICU1 | ||
| 25 NICU2 | 21 NICU2 |
| Control group survivors (252 infants: NICU1+NICU2) | NIB intervention group survivors (252 infants: NICU1+NICU2) | ||
| New or progressive severe* GMH-IVH within first 72 hours after birth, number of patients (%) | 26 (9%) | 6 (2%) | aOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.51, p<0.001 |
| 15 NICU1 | 2 NICU1 | ||
| 11 NICU2 | 4 NICU2 |
*Severe GMH-IVH defined as a grade III haemorrhage, haemorrhages accompanied by periventricular haemorrhagic infarction and/or resulting in ventricular dilatation with need of intervention; Apgar score at 5 min, centre and CRIB score.
aOR, adjusted OR; c-PVL, cystic periventricular leukomalacia; GMH-IVH, germinal matrix-intraventricular haemorrhage; NIB, nursing intervention bundle; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit.