[Necrotizing enterocolitis and bacterial translocation: role of minimal enteral nutrition]

Both necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and bacterial translocation (BT) have in common that bacterial overgrowth, a decrease in immunity and intestinal mucosal damage, followed by a barrier failure, can act as trigger factors. The main objectives in NEC treatment are to reduce mortality due to sepsis and to promote feeding tolerance. To achieve that, Minimal Enteral Nutrition (MEN) (less than 25% of the calories provided by enteral route) is a more and more used technique in newborns who receive Parenteral Nutrition (PN) to slow down fasting related villi atrophy and to attenuate its consequences.

To test the hypothesis that MEN decreases BT in an experimental model of PN.

Twenty-four adult Wistar male rats received a continuous infusion of all-in-one PN solution through a jugular vein catheter. The animals were randomly divided in two groups and maintained in individual metabolic cages for ten days. * Control group (N= 1): fasting rats receiving, standard PN (300 mL/kg/ 24 h, 280 kcall kg/24 h). * MEN group (N=13): standard PN and rat chow (15 g /24 h, 3,1 kcal/g). At the end of the experiment animals were sacrificed and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and both peripheral and portal blood samples were recovered and cultured. Bacterial identification in blood was carried out by conventional methods and MLN culture was considered positive with a growth over 100 Colony Forming Units/g.

Weight curve was better in MEN group and BT was also significantly reduced. Translocation was found in 45% of control group and 8% of MEN group (p < 0,05). The relative risk (RR) was 5,9 (IC 95% 0,81-43,71) and the number needed to treat (NNT) was 3 (95% CI 2-20).

1. MEN reduces the incidence of BT in an experimental model of parenteral nutrition. 2. BT reduction could decrease NEC-related sepsis risk.