title: Necrotizing enterocolitis in full-term or near-term infants: risk factors.
abstract: A retrospective case-control study of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) affecting infants weighing > 2,000 g at birth was performed to determine those factors which could contribute to the development of NEC. Twenty-four infants met the criteria of definite NEC. For each case the next 2 healthy newborns were matched as controls. When compared with the control group, NEC infants had a significantly higher frequency of prolonged rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, Apgar score < 7 at 1 and 5 min, respiratory problems, congenital heart disease, hypoglycemia, and exchange transfusions. Only 3 infants with NEC were healthy newborns with an unremarkable perinatal course before NEC. There were no differences in the frequency of preeclampsia, maternal diabetes, maternal drug abuse, meconium-stained amniotic fluid and polycythemia. These results indicate that most of these more mature infants have a predisposing factor before developing NEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Fla. USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinez-Tallo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Claure
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bancalari
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors