Intestinal perforation in very-low-birth-weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis

Purpose: To identify risk factors for intestinal perforation in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Methods: Retrospective case-control study over a 10-year period, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to compare all VLBW infants treated for perforated NEC, with two age and weight-matched groups: infants with non-perforated NEC and infants without NEC.

Results: Twenty infants with perforated NEC were matched to 20 infants with non-perforated NEC and 38 infants without NEC. Infants with perforated NEC were younger (p<0.01) and had higher rates of abdominal distention, metabolic acidosis, hyperglycemia and elevated liver enzymes (p<0.05). On logistic regression analysis, abdominal distention was associated with an increased risk of intestinal perforation (OR 39.8, 95% CI 2.71-585) and late onset of NEC (one-day increments) was associated with a decreased risk (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87-1.0).

Conclusion: Identification of abdominal distention at an early age in VLBW infants should lead to increased vigilance for signs of perforated NEC and may enable early intervention.