Intestinal perforation in very preterm neonates: risk factors and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To compare neonatal outcomes of preterm infants (born at <32 weeks' gestation) with focal/spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)-related perforation, NEC without perforation or no NEC/perforation.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of 17,426 infants admitted to Canadian neonatal intensive care units during 2010 to 2013. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality or morbidity (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, severe retinopathy, periventricular leukomalacia or nosocomial infection). Association of intestinal perforation with neonatal outcome was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULT

SIP was present in 178 (1.0%) infants, NEC-related perforation in 246 (1.4%) and NEC without perforation in 538 (3.1%). Any intestinal perforation was associated with higher odds of the composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 8.21, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 6.26 to 10.8); however, the odds were significantly lower for focal/SIP compared with NEC-related perforation (AOR: 0.29, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.51).

CONCLUSION

Of the two types of intestinal perforation, NEC-related perforation was associated with the highest risk of an adverse neonatal outcome.