Text Box: A CASE CONTROL STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF EARLY NEONATAL DISCHARGE ON READMISSION OF NEWBORNS AT A TERTIARY HOSPITAL Selga, A.M., Garcia, D.E. Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines Objective: To evaluate the effect of early neonatal discharge on the risk of readmission to hospital. Methods: Chart review of all well baby discharges from a two year period. All infants who were readmitted were compared with a randomly selected control group of similar infants who were not readmitted to hospital. Infants were excluded if they are premature, large or small for gestational age, and those with congenital defects. Time and date of birth were obtained. Time and date of discharges as well as discharge diagnosis were recorded. Those who stayed at <48 hours were classified as early discharge group and the other group comprised of infants observed for >48 hours. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the cases and controls. Results: Of the 5,654 infants discharged, 41 (0.7%) were readmitted by age 28 days. Twenty were admitted because of hyperbilirubinemia (48.8%), 10 due to sepsis neonatorum (24.4%), 9 due to neonatal pneumonia (21.9%) and 2 due to gastroenteritis (4.9%). No statistically significant risk was demonstrated with the following factors: maternal residence (p=0.44), maternal parity (p=0.35), maternal age (p=0.69) and gender (p=0.36). Infants whose length of stay was <48 hours were at no greater risk for readmission during the neonatal period than those whose length of stay was >48 hours. Conclusion: Discharge at less than 48 hours does not increase the risk of readmission to hospital. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants discharge at less than 48 hours should be seen by a health care provider within 2-3 days of discharge. 1894