Abstract

Transport of neonates from peripheral health centres to advanced neonatal intensive care units which are concentrated in urban areas is a necessity in India. The transport of newborn baby by a skilled and organised team reduces neonatal mortality and morbidity. Among the various pretransport and posttransport neonatal assessment scores, TOPS score, a bedside score to assess acute physiological parameters was chosen for the study. AIMS: To study the correlation of TOPS Score with survival rate among referred neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS : TOPS score was assessed for 101 outborn neonates referred to tertiary teaching hospital during the study period. RESULTS : Among the study population, 67% were male, 57% were term, 60% had normal birth weight. At time of admission, 38% neonates had hypoxia, 12% had hypoperfusion, 10% had hypothermia, 2% had hypoglycaemia. TOPS score <2 was associated with survival and >2 was associated with significant mortality. CONCLUSION : TOPS score is a simple, bedside test to determine prognosis of referred neonates. It also helps to monitor care received by the neonates during transport. Appropriate care during transport is essential to decrease neonatal mortality

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