Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine- Department of Pediatrics

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis is an inflammatory bowel necrosis of preterm infants. The incidence of NEC has been estimated to be high in premature infants. Up to 40% of all cases may develop severe disease with bowel necrosis and/or perforation(s), a subset that remains at a high risk of adverse gastrointestinal, hepatic, and neurodevelopmental outcome or death. Premature infants are a heavily-transfused population, with more than half of all VLBW infants requiring one or more RBC transfusions during the course of their stay in the NICU. In many infants with NEC, a review of antecedent events often reveals a history of red cell transfusions in the preceding 1{u2013}2 days prior to the onset of symptoms, and at least three studies have now described an association between NEC and RBC transfusions. Aim of work: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between PRBC transfusion and NEC in premature infants. Patients and methods: Files of all premature neonates {u2264}34 weeks GA &<2500 gm admitted to the NICU of Cairo University Children{u2019}s hospital during the period from Jan 2015 to June2016 was reviewed to study the neonates who had blood transfusion during their stay and then had NEC.These files were reviewed to collect the following data: Demographic data, Clinical data, PRBC transfusion data, Necrotizing enterocolitis,Treatment given andOutcome of the patients

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