Author(s):
Paul, A 
; Ferreira, S ; Resende, C ; Faria, D
Date: 2012
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.4/1657
Origin: Repositório do Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra
Subject(s): Enterocolite Necrosante; Recém-Nascido
Description
Backgound: Necrotizing enterocolitis ((NEC) is one of most frequent gastrointestinal emergencies in the neonatal period. Aims: To evaluate the incidência, epidemiology, risk factors and clinical outcomes of newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis admitted to a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) . Methods: Casuistic review of newborns with NEC adtmitted to a level III unit, from January 1995 to 31 December 2008. Results: Thirty nine patients were diagnosed: 0,8‰ of live birth, 1% of NICU admissions, 4% of very low birth weight (VLBW) and 9,5% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Thirty eight (97%) were preterm and 85% had a gestational age (GA) of 31 weeks or less. Birth weight and GA were 1136±725g and 27,9±3,5 weeks. The prevalence for light for gestational age status was 20,5%. Forty four had blood transfusion and 36% received indomethacin treatment. Enteral feeding was started before the diagnosis of NEC in 37 (95%) newborns and 59% had breast milk feeding. NEC stage III occurred in 24 (61,5%), 67% of those had progression of milk intake < 20mg/Kg/d and 83% had rapid progression of milk intake (p=0,43). Nineteen (48,7%) were submitted to surgical intervention. The letality rate was 31%, 50% of NEC stage IIIB and 21,0% of surgical cases. Intestinal strictures and short bowel syndrome occurred in 2 cases, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of NEC was 0,8‰ live births and 4% in VLBW. It is not possible to conclude about differences in incidence and severity of NEC with the rate of progression of milk intake.
