Long-term follow-up of patients with necrotizing enterocolitis.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the rise in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), there is a paucity of data regarding long-term patient outcome. The authors examined functional outcome of infants with NEC (n = 103) treated at our institution between 1991 and 1995.


METHODS
The authors reviewed the medical records of infants who were treated both operatively and nonoperatively, n = 103. Variables examined included gestational age, birth weight, Bell stage (I through III), operations performed, and mortality rate. Telephone interviews assessed school enrollment, developmental delay, bowel function, and nutritional status.


RESULTS
Children treated operatively had a lower gestational age than those in the nonoperative group. Likewise, birth weight in the operative group was significantly lower. Sixty-three percent of patients had stage III, and the remainder had stage II disease. The telephone response rate was 61%. Mean age at follow-up was 7.5 +/- 2.5 years. All children ate by mouth. Nearly all children were toilet trained. All children were less than the 50th percentile for height and weight, and the majority (83%) were enrolled in school full time.


CONCLUSIONS
Infants with stage II and III NEC who are treated operatively or nonoperatively have a favorable long-term outcome.
Stanford
Ala
A
Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Upperman
Jeffrey S
JS
Boyle
Patricia
P
Schall
Laura
L
Ojimba
Jacqueline I
JI
Ford
Henri R
HR
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004493:Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000145:classification* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D014039:Toilet Training; D016896:Treatment Outcome