Necrotizing Enterocolitis: a Prospective Multicenter Investigation

Authors

Robert W. Ryder
James D. Shelton
Mary Guinan, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1980

Publication Title

American Journal of Epidemiology

Volume

112

Issue

1

First page number:

113

Last page number:

123

Abstract

Several pre- and post-natal factors possibly important in determining which infants will develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and which of these infants will die with this disease were prospectively studied in 1976 in 111 infants with radiographic or pathologic evidence of the disease from 12 institutions in the United States and 111 weight-matched, institution-matched control infants. By multivariant discriminant analysis, the authors identified 10 independent significant determinants of NEC and 10 determinants predictive of a fatal outcome among case infants. Determinants of NEC were: Apgar score deterioration; presence of a patent ductus arteriosus; maternal receipt of anesthesia during delivery; infant not treated with parenteral gentamicin before the onset of disease; infant receipt of 10% dextrose solution; treatment of mother with antibiotics during pregnancy; hyperalimentation or gavage feedings; premature rupture of membranes. Important morbid events among cases included red blood cell transfusions, gas in the portal system, premature rupture of membranes, abdominal distension, isolation of Klebsiella organisms from the blood, surgery, prolonged perinatal oxygen requirement, and lower Apgar 2 score. Attempts to modify preventable risk factors may decrease the incidence (2.4 cases per 1000 live births) and case fatality ratio (41%) documented in this study.

Keywords

Antibiotics; Enterocolitis; Neonatal necrotizing; Infants – Nutrition

Disciplines

Biological Factors | Digestive System | Digestive System Diseases | Gastroenterology | Pediatrics

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or use interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the article. Publisher copyright policy allows author to archive post-print (author’s final manuscript). When post-print is available or publisher policy changes, the article will be deposited

Repository Citation

Ryder, R. W., Shelton, J. D., Guinan, M. (1980). Necrotizing Enterocolitis: a Prospective Multicenter Investigation. American Journal of Epidemiology, 112(1), 113-123.