title: [NEC--neonatal necrotising enterocolitis--methods of treatment and outcome: a comparative analysis of Scottish (Glasgow) and Polish (Western Pomerania) cases].
abstract: The aim of the work was to perform a comparative analysis of medical files of 125 neonates with necrotising enterocolitis treated between 1990 and 1995 in two regional centres: Glasgow (Scotland) and Western Pomerania (Poland), and to search for factors constituting an indication for surgery in NEC. The following data contained in the medical documentation of NEC cases have been analyzed: maternal risk factors, perinatal abnormalities, neonatal risk factors, procedures performed in the neonate, feeding practices, clinical and radiological signs, time of onset of the disease, clinical staging of NEC according to Bell (modified by Walsh and Kliegman), methods of treatment, postoperative course and outcome. The analysis was performed in the whole material and in the subgroup of newborns weighing < 1500 g (low/extremely low birth weight babies). Glasgow neonates with NEC had significantly lower birth weight, gestational age, platelet count, and sodium level when compared to Pomeranian newborns, while the latter had significantly lower leukocyte count and shorter time of onset of the disease. In the subgroup of newborns weighing less than 1500 g, Glasgow neonates had significantly lower birth weight, gestational age, platelet count, and sodium level when compared to Pomeranian newborns, while the latter had significantly lower 1 minute Apgar score, pH and base excess (BE) values. Glasgow clinical NEC stage was significantly more severe (IIB-IIIB) when compared to Pomeranian neonates. A higher proportion of full-term neonates in the present study--31.2%--was diagnosed with NEC than in the literature. Hyponatremia with severe acidosis and low platelet count (especially below 100 x 10(9)/L) may constitute an easily available laboratory finding serving as an indicator for surgical intervention in NEC. Statistical analysis revealed that the selection of treatment was influenced in the Glasgow group by birth weight and in the Pomeranian group by the clinical stage of NEC. Overall mortality was 32.8% in the whole group of 125 neonates, 34.4% in the Glasgow and 31.2% in the Pomeranian group. However, Glasgow neonates had significantly lower birth weight and gestational age and were more severely ill. The mortality in the subgroup of Scottish neonates with primary peritoneal drainage was 55.5%, the majority presenting with significantly lower birth weight and stage IIIB of necrotising enterocolitis. In conservatively treated neonates, mortality was 13% in the whole group, 9% in the Glasgow group and 15% in the Pomeranian group. Overall mortality in neonates treated surgically was 46.6%. In the Glasgow group it was 23% without and 42% with primary peritoneal drainage, respectively. Surgical mortality in the Pomeranian group was 42%. Overall mortality was 5.6% in full-term newborns, 3.2% in the Glasgow group and 7.8% in the Pomeranian group. Primary peritoneal drainage is a valuable, mildly invasive method of initial, and in some cases final, treatment in severely ill NEC babies, especially with low birth weight. This method was not used in the Pomeranian group.
authors.affiliation: Kliniki Chirurgii Dzieciecej Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badowicz
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D004322:Drainage; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D007422:Intestines / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D054047:Surgical Stomas; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome