The effect of supplemental parenteral nutrition on outcomes of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature, low birth weight neonates

Background We hypothesized that supplemental parenteral nutrition (PN) decreases the need for surgery and mortality associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods Single institution retrospective review of all premature, low birth weight infants with NEC from January 2006 to December 2013 was conducted. Results NEC was identified in 114 premature, low birth weight infants, 59 (51.8%) of which required surgical management. Surgical NEC infants were born younger (25.8 ± 4.0 vs 27.8 ± 3.3 weeks, P =.005) and weighed less at birth (829 ± 281 vs 938 ± 271 g, P =.038) than those managed medically. There was no difference in the use of PN (37.7% vs 31.4%, P =.541) between surgical and medical NEC patients. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality at discharge between patients who had PN at NEC onset and those who did not (31.4% vs 42.6%, P =.294) Conclusion In this single-center study, supplemental PN at NEC onset does not appear to significantly improve outcomes as demonstrated by rates of surgical intervention and in-hospital mortality.