Study comparing "Kangaroo Ward Care" with "Intermediate Intensive Care" for improving the growth outcome and cost effectiveness: randomized control trial

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare growth outcome and cost effectiveness of Kangaroo ward care (KWC) with Intermediate intensive care (IIC) in stable infants with birth weight 1000g to <1100g.Material and methods: In this secondary analysis, we included 79 infants, with birth weight 1000g to <1100g. Thirty-eight were randomized to KWC and 41 to IIC group once the infant reached a weight of 1150g. Infants in the KWC group were shifted to Kangaroo ward immediately after randomization and in the IIC group received IIC care till they attained a weight of 1250g before shifting to Kangaroo Ward. After shifting to Kangaroo ward, infants in the IIC group received equivalent care to KWC group infants.Results: There was significant better weight gain post-randomization during hospital stay and better length gain till 40 weeks of gestational age in intervention arm. There was reduction of post-randomization hospital stay by 2 d in the KWC group. The infants in the KWC group were shifted 6 d earlier to Kangaroo ward from IIC when compared with the IIC group. The cost-effective analysis that used top-down and bottom-up accounting method showed significant reduction of hospital and parents expenditure in the KWC group (p<.001) with saving of 570 USD per patient in the KWC group.Conclusion: Early shifting of infants to Kangaroo ward with birth weight 1000g to <1100g leads to better growth and is cost effective (CTRI/2014/05/004625).Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical trial registry of India CTRI/2014/05/004625