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Is there an association between necrotizing enterocolitis in premature neonates and functional gastrointestinal
Dimitrios Rallis1, Efstratios Saliakellis2, Christos Kaselas3
12nd Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Neonatology Department, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Insights
Infants with a history of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) have a higher risk of developing functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in childhood. Functional constipation was the most common FGID observed in children with a NEC history.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Neonatal Research
- Childhood Development
Background:
- Infant stress can increase the risk of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children.
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious neonatal condition with potential long-term implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a history of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and the development of FGIDs in childhood.
- To identify specific FGIDs linked to NEC and its management.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 29 children with a history of NEC and 58 controls (no NEC history).
- Assessment of FGIDs using Rome-III criteria in children aged 8-10 years.
- Categorization of NEC cases into surgical and conservative management groups.
Main Results:
- Children with NEC (both surgical and conservative management) showed a significantly higher proportion of FGIDs compared to controls (41% and 33% vs. 13%).
- Functional constipation was the most prevalent FGID across all groups.
- A significant association was found between FGIDs and perinatal stress, NEC history, and surgical NEC management.
Conclusions:
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) may be associated with an increased risk of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in later childhood.
- Functional constipation is a key disorder linked to NEC history.
Background:
Stressful events during infancy may predispose to the development of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in childhood.
Aims:
To evaluate the association of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) with childhood FGIDs.
Methods:
We conducted a study, comparing 29 children of eight to ten years with a history of NEC with 58 children with no history of NEC. Subjects were assessed for FGIDs, based on Rome-III criteria.
Results:
Among 29 subjects with NEC, 17 had surgical and 12 conservative NEC. Subjects with surgically, or conservatively managed NEC developed FGIDs at a significantly higher proportion, as compared to children with no history of NEC, later in childhood (41%, 33%, and 13% respectively, p = 0.033). Functional constipation was the most frequently identified disorder (35%, 33%, and 7% respectively). A significant association was detected between FGIDs and the history of perinatal stress (p = 0.049), NEC (p = 0.011), and the surgical management of NEC (p = 0.015).
Conclusions:
Our study suggests that there is a potential association between NEC and FGIDs later in childhood with functional constipation being the most frequently identified disorder.
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