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 1000 g to <1100 g.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this secondary analysis, we included 79 infants, with birth weight 1000 g to <1100 g. Thirty-eight were randomized to KWC and 41 to IIC group once the infant reached a weight of 1150 g. 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 1250 g 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 1000 g to <1100 g leads to better growth and is cost effective (CTRI/2014/05/004625).

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registry of India CTRI/2014/05/004625.