Gestational age-specific hematological patterns in preterm infants following necrotizing enterocolitis

Abstract

Objective

To investigate gestational age (GA) specific hematological and transfusion response patterns in preterm infants following necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

Design

A retrospective study comparing hematological/transfusion information in three GA groups’ infants: Group A ≤ 28 weeks. Group B 28–32 weeks, Group C > 32 weeks following necrotizing enterocolitis.

Results

Group A infants responded with significantly higher WBC count, thrombocytopenia, higher absolute neutrophil, and higher absolute monocyte and lower absolute lymphocyte counts following NEC onset, received more blood transfusions before NEC onset (59.8 versus 30.0%; p = .007), and had higher odds of surgical NEC (OR 3.39 [95% CI 1.19–10.38]; p = .02) than group C. One unit increase in absolute lymphocyte count on the day, and 24 h following NEC was significantly associated with lower surgical NEC odds than groups C.

Conclusion

The infant’s in-group A had significantly different hematological response patterns following NEC than infants with higher gestational age (groups B and C).

Keywords:

• Preterm infant
• necrotizing enterocolitis
• gestational age
• newborn

Ethical approval

Patient consent is not required as per IRB.

Author contributions

P. M. G. designed the study. P. M. G., J. P., J. W., H. H., A. C., and M. A. Y. A. collected and analyzed the data. P. M. G. wrote the manuscript. All the authors contributed and approved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Dr Parvesh Garg is partially supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 5U54GM115428. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.