title: A scoring system in predicting the risk of intestinal stricture in necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: Of 46 infants with a diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit over the period 1981-1985, 40 have been followed from 2 to 6 years after the acute episode. A contrast enema (CE) to look for intestinal strictures (IS) was performed either during the first months in surgically managed patients, or between 2 and 6 years in asymptomatic patients. Clinical, laboratory and radiology parameters collected during the 7 days following NEC were used to establish a score which was correlated with radiological data obtained after CE. Of the 40 infants, 17 developed symptomatic or asymptomatic IS and 16 of these 17 infants has a score greater than or equal to 7. Nineteen of the 23 patients without IS had a score less than 7. We conclude that the proposed score established on day 8 after onset of NEC helps to identify infants at higher risk of developing IS and for whom closer follow up appears necessary.
authors.affiliation: University of Liège, Department of Paediatrics, Montegnée-Rocourt, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evrard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khamis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rausin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Legat
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Battisti
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Langhendries
mesh_terms: D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors