[A protocol for prognostic evaluation of newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis]

A modified Vásquez-Estévez protocol for prognostic appraisal of newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis was retrospectively applied to 23 confirmed cases from year 1987 throughout 1989 in general metropolitan hospital at Santiago, Chile. Cases were classified as low (0-12 points) or high (13-30) risk according to its corresponding score. Case fatality rates ranged from 7.1% to 77.7% in low and high risk groups, respectively. Sensibility was 87.5%, specificity 86.6% and efficiency 86.6%. Instrument application was easy. It concluded that this is a valuable tool for the prognostic evaluation of necrotizing enterocolitis. A wider and deeper prospective application would allow to measure more exactly its usefulness in other settings.