Introduction
Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care unit, is characterized by early onset of respiratory distress in neonates born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) with compatible radiological findings which cannot be otherwise explained [1]. Rates of BPD vary from 0.78 to 3.6 per 1000 livebirth without born through MSAF, while the incidence of which is approximately 1.7% to 35.8% in infants born through MSAF [1-4]. MAS remains a life-threatening condition in neonatal intensive care unit throughout the world, with a case fatality rate ranging from 5% to 40%, along with short-term and long-term pulmonary and neurodevelopmental sequelae [1,5-7].
Over the years, studies have sought to quest the risk factors for the mortality of MAS. It was observed that required resuscitation in the delivery room, birth asphyxia, lower birth weight, higher initial oxygen requirement, persistent pulmonary hypertension, pneumothorax, and myocardial dysfunction possess a potential relation to increased mortality in MAS [8-10].
However, these risk factors were identified from term and post-term neonate population which were at higher risk of being affected by MAS. To our knowledge, little is known about factors contributing to MAS-associated mortality in preterm infants in the absence of enough cases. This study was designed to assess the risk factors with respect to increasing mortality in preterm neonates with MAS.