Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Its Predictors Among Preterm Neonates Admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Gurage Zone Public Hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021

Abstract

Background

Necrotizing Enter colitis (NEC) is the most common multifactorial and devastating gastrointestinal emergency which primarily affects premature infants. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and its associated factors among preterm neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Gurage Zone hospitals.

Methods

Institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed. The simple Random Sampling Technique was applied to collect the data using a structured questionnaire. Data were cleaned, checked for inconsistencies, coded and entered via EPI data 3.1, and exported to Stata version 14 for further analysis. The data were processed by Stata 14 to estimate the prevalence of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Results

The prevalence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis among neonates was 28 (9.7%) 95% CI of 6. 8–13.7%. Birth weight (AOR: 7.33 95% CI (2.04: 26.38)), presence of maternal infection (AOR: 6.09, 95% CI (1.31:28.26)), length of hospital stay (AOR: 3.28, 95% CI (1.20, 8.96)), and initiating trophic feeding (AOR: 5.89, 95% CI (2.27: 15.33)) were associated with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis.

Conclusion

The prevalence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis among preterm neonates was significant and special attention is needed for premature neonates with low birth weight and born from mothers with infection during pregnancy. Minimizing the length of hospital stay will be very useful to prevent the occurrence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

Keywords:

• necrotizing enter colitis
• low birth weight
• trophic feeding

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request and will be attached to the editorial office when requested at any time.

Ethical Consideration

This study was approved by the Wolikite University College of Health science ethical review committee. After having the clearance, a permission letter was obtained from the managers of selected hospitals in the Gurage zone. The responsible bodies of pediatric inpatient care were tolled about the purpose of this study. Written informed consent was not sought from the legally authorized representatives of the patients directly since we used a medical record. When the data was recorded from their medical chart’s identification numbers were used for each individual patient so as to make it easy to identify the individuals’ profile while keeping patient’s medical secret. This study was conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki.

Acknowledgments

Our gratitude goes to supervisors, the data collectors, and the staff of the selected hospitals for their cordial collaboration.

Disclosure

The authors have declared that there is no conflicts of interest in this work.