ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the evaluation and prevalence of benign hematochezia (BH) vs necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) <6 months old admitted to the acute care cardiology unit. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter retrospective review of patient characteristics and evaluation of all hematochezia events in patients with CHD <6 months admitted to acute care cardiology unit at 3 high-volume tertiary care centers from February 2019 to January 2021. NEC was defined by the Bell staging criteria. Patients with gastrointestinal disorders were excluded. RESULTS: In total, 180 hematochezia events occurred in 121 patients; 42 patients had more than 1 event. In total, 61% of affected patients had single-ventricle physiology (38% hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Median age and weight at hematochezia were 38 days (IQR 24, 79) and 3.7 kg (IQR 3.2, 4.4). In total, 77% of hematochezia events were BH, and 23% were NEC. There were no surgical interventions for NEC or deaths from NEC. Those with NEC were significantly younger (34 vs 56 days, P < .01) and smaller (3.7 vs 4 kg, P < .01). Single-ventricle physiology was significantly associated with NEC. Initial bloodwork and diagnostic imaging at each center were assessed. There was no significant difference in white blood cell count or C-reactive protein in those with NEC compared with BH. Blood culture results were all negative. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of infants with CHD with hematochezia have BH over NEC, although single-ventricle and surgical patients remain at greater risk. Infants <45 days are more vulnerable for developing NEC. Bloodwork was noncontributory in the identification of cardiac NEC. Expansion to a prospective study to develop a treatment algorithm is important to avoid overtreatment.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage , Heart Defects, Congenital , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Pilot Projects , Heart Defects, Congenital/complications , Male , Female , Infant , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/therapy , Infant, Newborn , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/complications , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To develop an artificial intelligence-based software system for predicting late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective cohort study, conducted in the NICU of the Antwerp University Hospital. Continuous monitoring data of 865 preterm infants born at <32 weeks gestational age, admitted to the NICU in the first week of life, were used to train an XGBoost machine learning (ML) algorithm for LOS and NEC prediction in a cross-validated setup. Afterward, the model's performance was assessed on an independent test set of 148 patients (internal validation). RESULTS: The ML model delivered hourly risk predictions with an overall sensitivity of 69% (142/206) for all LOS/NEC episodes and 81% (67/83) for severe LOS/NEC episodes. The model showed a median time gain of ≤10 hours (IQR, 3.1-21.0 hours), compared with historical clinical diagnosis. On the complete retrospective dataset, the ML model made 721â069 predictions, of which 9805 (1.3%) depicted a LOS/NEC probability of ≥0.15, resulting in a total alarm rate of <1 patient alarm-day per week. The model reached a similar performance on the internal validation set. CONCLUSIONS: Artificial intelligence technology can assist clinicians in the early detection of LOS and NEC in the NICU, which potentially can result in clinical and socioeconomic benefits. Additional studies are required to quantify further the effect of combining artificial and human intelligence on patient outcomes in the NICU.
Subject(s)
Decision Support Systems, Clinical , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Fetal Diseases , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Sepsis , Infant , Female , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Artificial Intelligence , Infant, Premature , Retrospective Studies , Machine Learning , Sepsis/diagnosis , Intensive Care Units, NeonatalABSTRACT
Onasemnogene abeparvovec treats spinal muscular atrophy by delivering a functional SMN1 gene. Necrotizing enterocolitis typically occurs in preterm infants. We report 2 term infants diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy who presented with necrotizing enterocolitis after onasemnogene abeparvovec infusion. We discuss potential etiologies and propose monitoring for necrotizing enterocolitis after onasemnogene abeparvovec therapy.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Fetal Diseases , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood , Infant , Female , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/etiology , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/therapy , Genetic Therapy , Infant, Premature , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/therapy , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood/therapyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is characterized by a rich infiltration of macrophages in the intestines, which is derived from monocytes in the blood. The authors aimed to explore the changing trend of absolute monocyte counts (AMC) over time in NEC infants and to verify whether the reduction of AMC correlates with the severity of NEC and whether it can be used to identify infants who need surgery. METHOD: The authors collected the clinical data of 66 control and 222 NEC infants. The NEC infants were divided into medical NEC (M-NEC) and surgical NEC (S-NEC). The counting of monocyte and their percentage change were compared at the time of birth, before NEC (baseline), the onset of NEC and after NEC (recovery). In addition, the same comparison was made among stages 1, 2 and 3 of Bell's staging, respectively. RESULTS: The authors found that the AMC in NEC infants decreased sharply at the onset. Further comparison was made between 172 cases of M-NEC and 50 cases of S-NEC. It was discovered that the AMC reduced more in S-NEC infants at onset, but it increased more at recovery. In addition, the authors found that among stage 1,2 and 3, stage 3 had the lowest AMC and the largest percentage decrease at the onset. CONCLUSION: The AMC decreases sharply in NEC infants at onset, and the degree of decline is associated with the severity of NEC. AMC is expected to be a marker of NEC and provide a reference for clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of NEC.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Infant, Premature , Monocytes , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/surgery , Leukocyte Count , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between lactate acid level and hospitalization mortality in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHOD: Paediatric-specific critical care database collected clinical data from the intensive care unit of Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University Medical College from 2010 to 2018. Clinical and laboratory examination information of NEC patients was collected and divided into the death group and discharge group to find out the risk factors affecting the prognosis through univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Among 104 NEC neonates, the admission age was 7.5 days and the weight was 2.03 kg. Comparing the death group with the discharge group, there were significant differences in therapeutic regimen, pH, serum albumin, total protein, creatinine and lactate acid. Multivariate and threshold effect analysis showed that lactate acid had a linear correlation with hospital mortality, and newborns who died in the hospital had much higher lactate levels than those who were discharged. The mortality of NEC newborns increased by 40-45% for every 1 mmol/L increase in lactate acid level. CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between lactate acid level and hospital mortality in newborns with NEC, and lactate acid level was an important index to evaluate the prognosis of NEC.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Child , Birth Weight , Retrospective Studies , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Gestational Age , Risk Factors , Prognosis , Critical CareABSTRACT
Introducción: La infección severa por citomegalovirus resulta inusual en pacientes inmunocompetentes, sin embargo, cuando se presenta tiene una alta carga de morbilidad. Objetivo: Examinar el caso de un paciente nacido a término, con desnutrición aguda severa que presentó sepsis secundaria a una infección por citomegalovirus. Presentación del caso: Paciente de 2 meses y 7 días de edad que se llevó al servicio de urgencias por cuadro de un día de evolución de inapetencia, y fiebre. Sin antecedentes de prematurez o de infecciones oportunistas, y adecuado desarrollo para su edad. Se trasladó a un centro de mayor complejidad por deshidratación. En dicho centro el paciente presentó deterioro pulmonar con hallazgo de bronconeumonía, deterioro gastrointestinal por distensión severa de asas, deposiciones sanguinolentas, y deterioro hematológico por anemia hemolítica. Se descartó infección de origen bacteriano y fúngico, y se estableció que la etiología presentada se debía a citomegalovirus. Se trató con valganciclovir con una buena evolución clínica. Se discutió la fisiopatología, el diagnóstico, y tratamiento en relación con el caso presentado. Conclusiones: La infección grave por citomegalovirus en el periodo posnatal resultó muy rara, sin embargo, de presentar síntomas, son principalmente gastrointestinales o pulmonares; y ante la no respuesta al tratamiento convencional de enfermedades más comunes, se debe sospechar de manera oportuna una infección por este agente, dada la alta carga de morbilidad que produce(AU)
Introduction: Severe cytomegalovirus infection is unusual in immunocompetent patients; however, when it occurs it has a high burden of morbidity. Objective: To examine the case of a patient born at term who presented sepsis secondary to cytomegalovirus infection. Presentation of the case: A 2 months and 7 days old patient was taken to the emergency department for one day of evolution of inappetence and fever, with no history of prematurity or opportunistic infections and adequate development for his age. The patient was transferred to a more complex center due to dehydration, and in that center the patient presented pulmonary deterioration with bronchopneumonia, gastrointestinal deterioration due to severe distension of the loops, bloody stools, and hematologic deterioration due to hemolytic anemia. Bacterial and fungal infection was ruled out and the etiology was established as cytomegalovirus. She was treated with valganciclovir with a good clinical evolution. The pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment are discussed in relation to the presented case. Conclusions: Severe cytomegalovirus infection in the postnatal period was very rare, however, if symptoms are present, they are mainly gastrointestinal or pulmonary; and in the absence of response to conventional treatment of more common diseases, an infection by this agent should be suspected in a timely manner, given the high burden of morbidity it produces(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant, Newborn , Cytomegalovirus Infections/etiology , Sepsis/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Dehydration , Severe Acute Malnutrition , Sulbactam/therapeutic use , Valganciclovir/therapeutic use , Ampicillin/therapeutic useABSTRACT
La taquicardia supraventricular (TSV) es la principal taquiarritmia en el recién nacido (RN) que requiere una resolución urgente. Por su parte, la enterocolitis necrosante (ECN) es la emergencia gastrointestinal más común que afecta principalmente a RN prematuros. Aunque estas se reconocen como patologías distintas, la bibliografía sugiere que los episodios de TSV pueden predisponer a los pacientes a la ECN a través de alteraciones en el flujo sanguíneo mesentérico y una disminución de la perfusión tisular. Se presenta aquí el caso clínico de un neonato prematuro que desarrolló un cuadro de ECN luego de un evento aislado de TSV con bajo gasto cardíaco
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the main tachyarrhythmia in the newborn (NB) that requires urgent resolution. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency that mainly affects premature infants. Although these conditions are recognized as distinct pathologies, literature reports suggest that episodes of SVT may predispose patients to NEC secondary to disturbances in mesenteric blood flow and a decrease in tissue perfusion. We present here the clinical case of a premature neonate who developed NEC after an isolated SVT event with low cardiac output
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Infant, Newborn , Tachycardia, Supraventricular/diagnosis , Tachycardia, Supraventricular/etiology , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/complications , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosis , Infant, Premature, Diseases/etiology , Fetal DiseasesABSTRACT
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the main tachyarrhythmia in the newborn (NB) that requires urgent resolution. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency that mainly affects premature infants. Although these conditions are recognized as distinct pathologies, literature reports suggest that episodes of SVT may predispose patients to NEC secondary to disturbances in mesenteric blood flow and a decrease in tissue perfusion. We present here the clinical case of a premature neonate who developed NEC after an isolated SVT event with low cardiac output.
La taquicardia supraventricular (TSV) es la principal taquiarritmia en el recién nacido (RN) que requiere una resolución urgente. Por su parte, la enterocolitis necrosante (ECN) es la emergencia gastrointestinal más común que afecta principalmente a RN prematuros. Aunque estas se reconocen como patologías distintas, la bibliografía sugiere que los episodios de TSV pueden predisponer a los pacientes a la ECN a través de alteraciones en el flujo sanguíneo mesentérico y una disminución de la perfusión tisular. Se presenta aquí el caso clínico de un neonato prematuro que desarrolló un cuadro de ECN luego de un evento aislado de TSV con bajo gasto cardíaco.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Fetal Diseases , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Infant, Premature, Diseases , Tachycardia, Supraventricular , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/complications , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosis , Infant, Premature, Diseases/etiology , Tachycardia, Supraventricular/diagnosis , Tachycardia, Supraventricular/etiologyABSTRACT
Resumen La enterocolitis necrotizante (ECN) es la urgencia más frecuente en el periodo neonatal asociada al sistema digestivo; afectando principalmente a los neonatos pretérmino con muy bajo peso al nacer. La etiología continúa siendo desconocida, se considera una enfermedad multifactorial, donde la prematuridad es el principal factor de riesgo, todo esto relacionado con la inmadurez del tracto gastrointestinal, una motilidad disminuida que genera una mayor permeabilidad en la mucosa y con esto facilita la translocación bacteriana. Su diagnóstico suele ser muy complejo y suele pasar desapercibido en muchas ocasiones generando una mortalidad importante de hasta el 30% donde su principal complicación es la perforación intestinal y el consiguiente shock séptico. Las opciones terapéuticas se dividen en 2 grupos: médico y quirúrgico, ambos con complicaciones importantes que afectan el desarrollo de los niños que la padecen donde las más importantes abarcan desde alteraciones del crecimiento y neurodesarrollo hasta síndrome de intestino corto y desnutrición.
Abstract Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common emergency in the neonatal period associated with the digestive system; mainly affecting preterm neonates with very low birth weight. Etiology remains unknown, considered a multifactorial disease, all this related to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, a decreased motility that generates greater permeability in the mucosa and with this facilitates bacterial translocation. Diagnosis is usually very complex and often goes unnoticed on many occasions leading to a significant mortality of up to 30% where its main complication is intestinal perforation and consequent septic shock. Therapeutic options are divided into 2 groups: medical and surgical, both with major complications affecting the development of children with it where the most important from growth and neurodevelopmental alterations to short bowel syndrome and malnutrition.
Subject(s)
Infant, Premature , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Costa RicaABSTRACT
During the SARS COV-2 pandemic, the vast majority of infected patients are showing symptoms related to lung damage. At pediatric ages, especially newborns, symptoms from other organ systems without respiratory illness could make COVID-19 hard to diagnose. We are reporting three cases of newborns who were attended in the course of the mitigation phase in the emergency service of a maternal hospital in Barranquilla, Colombia, for high temperature and general compromised condition. During their clinical course, they developed gastrointestinal symptoms without showing any respiratory manifestations. They were not epidemiologically linked to a contact suspected to be a COVID-19 case and their mothers had had no respiratory symptoms since the public health emergency in our country was declared 45 days before. The absence of clinical respiratory manifestations in this group of patients with COVID-19 should draw clinicians' attention to the need to suspect SARS CoV-2 infection in febrile newborns.
Durante la pandemia por SARS CoV-2 la gran mayoría de pacientes ha presentado afectación pulmonar como síntoma cardinal. En los niños, especialmente en recién nacidos, la sintomatología debida al efecto en otros sistemas diferentes al respiratorio puede dificultar el diagnóstico. Se reportan tres casos de recién nacidos atendidos durante la fase de mitigación de la pandemia por SARS CoV-2 en el servicio de urgencias de un hospital materno-infantil en Barranquilla, Colombia, por presentar cuadros febriles que afectaban su estado general. En su evolución clínica predominó la sintomatología gastrointestinal sin que desarrollaran nunca manifestaciones respiratorias. La investigación epidemiológica no evidenció contacto con casos sospechosos o positivos para COVID-19. Sus madres no habían tenido síntomas respiratorios en los 45 días transcurridos desde la declaración de la emergencia en salud pública en el país. La ausencia de manifestaciones clínicas respiratorias en este grupo de pacientes con COVID-19 debe llamar la atención de los clínicos sobre la necesidad de sospechar la infección por SARS CoV-2 en recién nacidos con estados febriles.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Fever/etiology , Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical , Neonatal Sepsis/etiology , Pneumonia, Viral/transmission , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious , Adolescent , Adult , Asymptomatic Diseases , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Coronavirus Infections/blood , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Diarrhea, Infantile/etiology , Emergency Service, Hospital , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Female , Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Neonatal Sepsis/virology , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/blood , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology , SARS-CoV-2 , Transients and Migrants , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of gastric residual aspiration and evaluation on preterm very low birth weight infants' gastrointestinal function, intestinal inflammation, and gastrointestinal mucosal bleeding. STUDY DESIGN: This single-center, randomized trial compared omission of gastric residuals vs prefeed gastric residuals in 143 infants ≤32 weeks of gestation with a birthweight of ≤1250 g for 6 weeks after birth. Serum levels of gastrin and motilin were collected between 14 and 21 days of life. Stools were collected at 3 and 6 weeks of age and analyzed for calprotectin and S100A12 levels. All stools were tested for occult blood for 6 weeks. RESULTS: Means for gastrin (P = .999) and motilin (P = .694) were similar between groups and there were no statistically significant differences in adjusted means for transformed calprotectin (P = .580), and S100A12 (P = .212). Both calprotectin (P = .003) and S100A12 (P = .002) increased from week 3 to week 6. The mean percentage of stools positive for occult blood (P = .888) were similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal function, intestinal inflammation, and gastrointestinal mucosal bleeding were similar whether aspiration and evaluation of gastric residuals were eliminated or not, suggesting routinely evaluating gastric residuals before every feeding may be unnecessary. TRIAL REGISTRATION CLINICALTRIALS.GOV:: NCT01863043.
Subject(s)
Enteral Nutrition/methods , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Contents/chemistry , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/epidemiology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Infant, Newborn , Male , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis is the leading case of gastrointestinal-related morbidity in premature infants. Necrotizing enterocolitis totalis is an aggressive form of necrotizing enterocolitis, which has traditionally been managed with comfort care. Recent advances in management of short bowel syndrome have resulted in some reported long-term survival. METHODS: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, studies that reported outcomes in children with necrotizing enterocolitis totalis were identified. The definition of necrotizing enterocolitis totalis was captured along with length of follow-up, patient demographics, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 766 articles were screened, of which 166 were selected for full article review. Of these, 32 articles included data on 414 patients with necrotizing enterocolitis totalis. In the majority of studies (52%), necrotizing enterocolitis totalis was not defined. Aggressive surgical therapy (defined as bowel resection or fecal diversion) was undertaken in 32 patients (7.7%), with a mortality rate of 68.8%. In contrast, nonaggressive surgical therapy was undertaken in 382 patients (92.3%), and the mortality in these patients was 95%. Long-term outcomes for necrotizing enterocolitis totalis survivors, such as length of time on parenteral nutrition, progression to liver and/or small bowel transplant, and quality of life, were not reported. CONCLUSION: We found that there is no accepted definition of necrotizing enterocolitis totalis. Aggressive surgical therapy is rarely pursued, which likely drives the overall high mortality rate. This study underscores the importance of standardizing the definition of necrotizing enterocolitis totalis and capturing short and long-term outcomes prospectively. With more aggressive surgical therapy, more infants are likely to survive this abdominal catastrophe, which was once thought to be uniformly fatal.
Subject(s)
Digestive System Surgical Procedures/methods , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/surgery , Infant, Premature, Diseases/surgery , Conservative Treatment/mortality , Digestive System Surgical Procedures/mortality , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/mortality , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/pathology , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosis , Infant, Premature, Diseases/mortality , Infant, Premature, Diseases/pathology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of policy changes for pulse oximetry oxygen saturation (SpO2) alarm limits on neonatal mortality and morbidity among infants born very preterm. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of infants born very preterm in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. Infants were classified based on treatment at a hospital with an SpO2 alarm policy change and study epoch (before vs after policy change). We used a generalized linear mixed model to determine the effect of hospital group and epoch on the primary outcomes of mortality and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and secondary outcomes of necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and any ROP. RESULTS: There were 3809 infants in 10 hospitals with an SpO2 alarm policy change and 3685 infants in 9 hospitals without a policy change. The nature of most policy changes was to narrow the SpO2 alarm settings. Mortality was lower in hospitals without a policy change (aOR 0.63; 95% CI 0.50-0.80) but did not differ between epochs in policy change hospitals. The odds of bronchopulmonary dysplasia were greater for hospitals with a policy change (aOR 1.65; 95% CI 1.36-2.00) but did not differ for hospitals without a policy change. Severe ROP and necrotizing enterocolitis did not differ between epochs for either group. The adjusted odds of any ROP were lower in recent years in both hospital groups. CONCLUSIONS: Changing SpO2 alarm policies was not associated with reduced mortality or increased severe ROP among infants born very preterm.
Subject(s)
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Infant Mortality/trends , Infant, Extremely Premature , Oximetry/methods , Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis , Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/epidemiology , Female , Health Policy , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Male , Morbidity/trends , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Policy Making , Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Surveys and QuestionnairesSubject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosis , Infant, Premature , Diagnosis, Differential , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/complications , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/surgery , Female , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Humans , Infant , Infant, Premature, Diseases/surgery , Laparotomy , Radiography, Abdominal , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Ultrasonography, DopplerABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To discover specific circulating microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for the early differentiation of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) from neonatal sepsis and inflammatory conditions. STUDY DESIGN: The study comprised 3 distinct phases: differential microarray analysis to compare plasma miRNA expression profiles of NEC vs sepsis and non-NEC/nonsepsis cases, a case-control study to quantify dysregulated miRNAs as potential specific biomarkers of NEC, and a prospective cohort study to assess the diagnostic usefulness of the best miRNA biomarker(s). RESULTS: A distinct miRNA expression profile was observed in the NEC compared with the sepsis and non-NEC/nonsepsis groups. miR-1290, miR-1246, and miR-375 were discovered to be specific biomarkers of NEC in the case-control study. In the cohort study (n = 301), plasma miR-1290 (day 0; >220 copies/µL) provided the greatest diagnostic usefulness for identifying both mild medical and severe surgical NEC cases. Of 20 infants with miR-1290 >650 copies/µL, 15 were diagnosed with NEC. Incorporating C-reactive protein (day 1; >15.8 mg/L) for cases with intermediate levels (220-650 copies/µL) in a 2-stage algorithm further optimized the diagnostic profile with a sensitivity of 0.83, a specificity of 0.96, a positive predictive value of 0.75, and a negative predictive value of 0.98. Importantly, 7 of 36 infants with NEC (19.4%) could be diagnosed 7.8-32.2 hours earlier (median, 13.3 hours) using miR-1290. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma miR-1290 is a novel and specific biomarker that can effectively differentiate NEC cases from neonatal sepsis. miR-1290 facilitates neonatologists to confidently and timely reach a decision for early transfer of sick infants with NEC from community-based hospitals to tertiary surgical centers.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/blood , MicroRNAs/blood , Biomarkers/blood , C-Reactive Protein/analysis , Case-Control Studies , Diagnosis, Differential , Early Diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/genetics , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Microarray Analysis , Neonatal Sepsis/diagnosis , Predictive Value of Tests , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Necrotizing enterocolitis is an important disease in infants born premature. However, other disease entities present with similar signs and symptoms. This series reviews 5 atypical cases initially diagnosed as necrotizing enterocolitis that may be more consistent with food protein-induced enterocolitis. Food protein-induced enterocolitis may be underdiagnosed in this population.
Subject(s)
Diagnostic Errors , Enterocolitis/etiology , Food Hypersensitivity/complications , Infant, Premature, Diseases , Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Diagnosis, Differential , Enterocolitis/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Food Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To establish baseline trends in fecal calprotectin, a protein excreted into the stool when there is neutrophilic inflammation in the bowel, in infants at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective observational cohort study in infants with a birth weight of <1500 g without existing bowel disease at a level IV neonatal intensive care unit from October 2015 to September 2016. Stools were collected once daily for 30 days or until 32 weeks postmenstrual age and processed using the Fecal Calprotectin High Range Quantitative Quantum Blue assay. RESULTS: In 64 preterm infants, during the first week after birth, 62% of infants had an initial stool sample with high baseline calprotectin levels (≥200 µg/g). In assessment of maternal and neonatal risk factors, maternal etiology for preterm birth (ie, eclamplsia or preeclampsia) was the only significant factor associated with high baseline calprotectin level. Two patients in the cohort developed NEC. Calprotectin levels for the entire cohort fluctuated during the observed period but generally increased in the third and fourth weeks after birth. CONCLUSIONS: At-risk infants had highly variable fecal calprotectin levels, with maternal causes for preterm birth associated with higher baseline levels. More longitudinal data in infants with NEC are necessary to determine whether acute rises in fecal calprotectin levels prior to clinical diagnosis can be confirmed as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker.
Subject(s)
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/diagnosis , Feces , Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex/analysis , Point-of-Care Systems , Biomarkers/analysis , Birth Weight , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Infant, Premature , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight , Male , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare existing outcome prediction models and create a novel model to predict death or intestinal failure (IF) in infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective, observational cohort study conducted in a 2-campus health system in Atlanta, Georgia, from September 2009 to May 2015. Participants included all infants ≤37 weeks of gestation with surgical NEC. Logistic regression was used to model the probability of death or IF, as a composite outcome, using preoperative variables defined by specifications from 3 existing prediction models: American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric, Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension, and Vermont Oxford Risk Adjustment Tool. A novel preoperative hybrid prediction model was also derived and validated against a patient cohort from a separate campus. RESULTS: Among 147 patients with surgical NEC, discrimination in predicting death or IF was greatest with American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.91) when compared with the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension II (AUC, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.48-0.72) and Vermont Oxford Risk Adjustment Tool (AUC, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.65-0.83). A hybrid model was developed using 4 preoperative variables: the 1-minute Apgar score, inotrope use, mean blood pressure, and sepsis. The hybrid model AUC was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.78-0.92) in the derivation cohort and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.66-0.86) in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative prediction of death or IF among infants with surgical NEC is possible using existing prediction tools and, to a greater extent, using a newly proposed 4-variable hybrid model.