Hanyang Med Rev.  2009 Nov;29(4):346-353. 10.7599/hmr.2009.29.4.346.

Prevention and Treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

• Lee BS

• KMID: 2053721
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2009.29.4.346

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among premature infants. Although the pathogenesis of NEC remains unclear, recent researches revealed several associated factors of the immature intestine, with an emphasis of delayed maturation of motor and digestive function, impairment of regulation of vascular flow and intestinal barrier function, and defective immune defense. Many clinical trials have investigated the preventive role of possible disease-modification factors, but only breast feeding and antenatal steroid were proven to decrease the incidence of NEC in meta- analyses. Recent multicenter studies demonstrated a promising outcome of probiotics supplementation in the prevention of NEC, which emphasized the role of abnormal bacterial colonization in the pathogenesis of NEC. Studies on optimal choice for surgically indicated infants with NEC (laparatomy versus primary peritoneal drainage) still remain inconclusive. As NEC is a disease with a multifactorial etiology, combinations of current evidence in practice are required to reduce the incidence of NEC.

Keyword

Necrotizing enterocolitis; Probiotics; Laparatomy; Peritoneal drainage

MeSH Terms

Breast Feeding
Colon
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Intestines
Probiotics

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