Necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating condition that affects premature infants and remains one of the leading causes of death in neonatal intensive care units worldwide. Current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of NEC have changed minimally in the past 30 years, in part due to an incomplete understanding of the biological mechanisms of the disease, and a lack of treatment options. Importantly however, recent research advances have improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of NEC, resulting in a broader approach to diagnosis, prevention and treatment. In parallel, an increased understanding of the long-term complications of NEC has shed light on the importance of early decision-making for patients with this disease. This Primer includes insights from an international team of clinician-investigators from Europe, Asia and North America, which now seeks to answer some of the key questions in the NEC field, with a focus on understanding epidemiology, pathogenesis and optimal management, including the fact that many infants with NEC require surgery, and to understand the morbidity that survivors experience. We also highlight how the future care of patients with NEC is likely to include a sophisticated diagnostic approach that includes novel molecular and imaging analyses, leading to the precise delivery of targeted molecular and cellular therapies, so as to improve outcomes in infants with this disease.