title: Necrotising enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants in Italy: incidence and non-nutritional risk factors.
abstract: Incidence and non-nutritional risk factors were estimated for necrotising enterocolitis in 2035 very low birth weight infants, admitted to 14 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in Lombardy, northern Italy. There were 62 necrotising enterocolitis cases, with an overall incidence of 3.1%. After adjustment for gestational age and centre, the risk factors were mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus, and late-onset sepsis, whereas surfactant treatment was associated with decreased risk. Significant variations in necrotising enterocolitis incidence among hospitals were found.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology and Pediatrics, Ospedale Versilia, Lido di Camaiore, Italy. l.gagliardi@neonatalnet.org
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellù
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cardilli
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Curtis
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000150:complications; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants