[Etiopathogenic factors in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis]

Necrotizing enterocolitis is the most common digestive emergency in neonatal units. Several factors are involved in their pathogenesis: intestinal ischemia, bacterial colonization and feeding. To analyse these factors, 25 cases of NEC are compared to a control group of 48 newborns. Results showed an incidence of NEC about 1.6 0/00 live newborns, without a greater mortality in respect to other pathologic newborns. Ischemic factors influence significatively in appearance of ECN (p less than 0.001). None of them received maternal feeding. By this reason it seems to be a protective factor against bottle feeding (p less than 0.05). Enteral feeding its main influence upon mature newborns. No common bacterial findings have been found, but 68% of children developed clinical findings compatible with sepsis. Severity of abdominal sings in clinical examination in the acute phase of NEC is positively correlated with the presence of complications. Individual considerations are needed in sight to the different severity and prognosis of NEC.