800 Grams!?
1 Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital, UMKC School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO 64108
2 Children's Rehabilitation Unit, Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
La Pine et al1 report improved survival and stable outcome for
800-g birth weight infants born 1977 through 1990 at the University of Washington. The authors do not provide enough data determine if the greater survival was secondary to attitude changes, alteration of perinatal/neonatal practices, or variation population demographics over time. Although determining cause of improved survival was not the authors' intent, addressing these issues may assist the reader in determining if the University of Washington experience is generalizable to other centers.