title: Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis an epidemiological study.
abstract: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was diagnosed in 77 infants among 2200 admissions to the NICU during the period January 1986 to September 1990. The incidence was 0.5% of all live births and 3.5% of NICU admissions. Majority (57.1%) had Stage I of the disease while 23.4% had Stage II and 19.5% had Stage III of the disease. The average birth weight of the babies was 1650 +/- 577 g and gestational age 33.3 +/- 2.6 weeks. Majority (53.2%) were very low birth weight (VLBW) babies. Incidence was significantly more (5.7% vs 0.25%, p < 0.001) in VLBW infants and in preterm infants of gestational age less than 32 weeks (5.2% vs 0.09%, p < 0.001). Multiple risk factors were present in these babies while 8 babies did not have any risk factor. Risk of developing NEC was significantly more if infants had any of these risk factor (p < 0.001). Incidence of severe birth asphyxia was more in Stage I cases (35.7% vs 10.3%, p < 0.05). The age at presentation was 4.9 +/- 4.8 days and majority (96%) presented during the first 14 days. The overall survival was 61% and was 70.5, 77.8 and 13.3% in Stages I, II and III, respectively. VLBW and preterm infants had a higher mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Bhakoo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001034:Apgar Score; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000150:complications; D001724:Birth Weight; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate