Downloaded from http://bmjopen.bmj.com/ on November 13, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Open Access
Research
Rounding of birth weights in a neonatal intensive care unit over 20 years: an analysis of a large cohort study Anthony J Emmerson,1 Stephen A Roberts2
To cite: Emmerson AJ, Roberts SA. Rounding of birth weights in a neonatal intensive care unit over 20 years: an analysis of a large cohort study. BMJ Open 2013;3:e003650. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013003650 ▸ Prepublication history for this paper is available online. To view these files please visit the journal online (http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ bmjopen-2013-003650). Received 24 July 2013 Revised 11 November 2013 Accepted 13 November 2013
1
Newborn Intensive Care Unit, St Mary’s Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), Manchester, UK 2 Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), Manchester, UK Correspondence to Dr Anthony J Emmerson; Anthony.emmerson@cmft. nhs.uk
ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the frequency of birth weight digit preference for infants admitted to a large neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the scale of rounding and its dependence on birth weight, and time and the impact on prescribing accuracy. Design: A consecutive cohort of birth weights extracted retrospectively from a single clinical database. Setting and participants: Birth weights from 9170 inborn infants recorded on an electronic prescribing database admitted to NICU over 20 years. Statistical approach: Data are presented for the frequency of each of the possible pairs of final digits. A statistical model of digit preference assuming rounding is used to quantify the proportions rounding to specific accuracy levels. These proportions are compared between those
Rounding of birth weights in a neonatal intensive care unit over 20 years: an analysis of a large cohort study.
To determine the frequency of birth weight digit preference for infants admitted to a large neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the scale of rounding...