Antibiotic therapy and necrotizing enterocolitis.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Microbiome Research
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) treatment relies heavily on antibiotics, yet clinical practices vary due to a lack of specific guidelines.
• The infant gastrointestinal microbiome is implicated in NEC pathogenesis, prompting research into antibiotic's role.
• Current understanding of NEC etiology remains incomplete, highlighting the need for evidence-based antibiotic strategies.

Approach:

• This narrative review synthesizes existing literature on antibiotic therapy for NEC.
• It examines the association between antibiotics, the infant microbiome, and NEC development.
• The review also analyzes current antibiotic prescribing practices and proposes optimization strategies.

Key Points:

• Antibiotic administration for medical and surgical NEC lacks standardized guidelines.
• The infant microbiome's role in NEC suggests potential benefits or risks from antibiotic exposure.
• Research is ongoing to determine optimal prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotic use in NEC.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to establish clear guidelines for antibiotic use in NEC.
• Optimizing antibiotic strategies requires a deeper understanding of their impact on the infant microbiome.
• Balancing the benefits and risks of antibiotics is essential for improving NEC outcomes.