title: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS IN PRETERM INFANTS IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  necrotizing enterocolitis is a serious condition that affects mostly preterm infants, with high mortality rate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to estimate the influence of potentially contributing factors of this multifactorial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  the study group included 51 necrotizing enterocolitis infants who were less than 37 week gestation who were hospitalized in NICU during a five year period. The control group consisted of 71 patients with approximately the same gestational age and birth weight. Average gestational age in the study group was 30.2 weeks (SD 3.7), average birth weight 1502g (SD 781.5). Average postnatal age in the time of the presenting NEC was 18.2 days (SD 12.8).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Logistic regression estimates the influence of risk factors, which in our study related to the treatment of preterm infants on the likelihood of NEC development. Our regression model consisted of seven independent variables (nosocomial infections, mechanical ventilation, nasal continuous positive pressure, morphine, inotropes, blood transfusions, and H2 blockers), which were shown to have a statistically significant impact, X2 (7, n=1222) = 49.522, p<0.0001; two independent variables (nosocomial infection and H2 blockers use) were statistically significant. Preterm infants with nosocomial infection had a three times greater chance of developing NEC, and infants who received H2 blockers had a 1.5 higher risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Underlying pathology of very low birth weight infants and their treatment in NICU contribute to NEC development. Identifying risk factors can be crucial for the early diagnosis and outcome of disease. Awareness of risk factors should influence changes in practice to reduce the risk of NEC.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Zlatan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zvizdic
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Suada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heljic
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alajbegovic-Halimic
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Milisic
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Asmir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jonuzi
keywords: contributing factors; necrotizing enterocolitis; preterm infants