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Is necrotizing enterocolitis the same disease in term and preterm infants?
Noah Kinstlinger1, Adam Fink2, Sharon Gordon2
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY, 10467 USA.
Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|February 2, 2021
Summary
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in term infants presents differently than in preterm infants, often occurring earlier and with different comorbidities. This study highlights unique clinical features of NEC in term infants compared to their preterm counterparts.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) primarily impacts preterm infants, with limited data on term infants.
- Understanding NEC in term infants is crucial for accurate prognostication and family counseling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predisposing factors for NEC in term infants.
- To elucidate the clinical course and outcomes of NEC in term infants.
- To compare the characteristics and outcomes of NEC in term versus preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- A 10-year retrospective review of infants with Bell stage 2 or greater NEC.
- Comparison of comorbidities, outcomes, and intraoperative findings between term and preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation).
Main Results:
- Term infants (12%) with NEC were more likely to have congenital heart disease and developed NEC earlier (4 days vs. 17 days).
- Term infants required less operative intervention (20% vs. 38%) but showed no significant difference in Bell stage, survival, or intestinal failure.
- NEC totalis was exclusively observed in preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- Necrotizing enterocolitis in term infants exhibits distinct clinical characteristics compared to NEC in preterm infants.
