Efficacy of abdominal ultrasound inspection in the diagnosis and prognosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

Authors

  • Hong-Xia Gao Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Bin Yi Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Bao-Hong Mao Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Clinical Medical Research Center
  • Wei-Yang Li Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Xiang Bai Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Yue Zhang Capital Healthcare Hospital for Children and Women. Department of Neonatology
  • Jian-Ming Tang Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Pei-Qi Liu Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology
  • Kun Cheng Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. Department of Neonatology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2021/e1816

Keywords:

Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Abdominal Ultrasound, X-ray, Neonate, Diagnosis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the most useful ultrasound (US) features associated with definite neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and their prognostic values, particularly the calculated markers combined with important features. METHODS: A total of 213 suspected NEC cases were collected from the neonatal department of our hospital from January 2015 to August 2017. Each infant received both X-ray and US examinations. RESULTS: No differences were found in sex composition and delivery modes between groups. NEC-positive neonates had poorer prognosis compared to negative ones. The NEC group showed a higher frequency of abnormal signals. US showed higher NEC-related frequencies in different parameters. A variable (named predictor in US [PUS]) with five features was constructed. For NEC diagnosis, this variable provided a much higher area under the curve Q2 (AUC) (0.965) than other parameters. In this model, PUS had a cutoff value of 0.376 with a 0.900 sensitivity and 0.922 specificity. In prognosis, the closest factors were selected to draw a receiver operating characteristic curve, as well as a novel calculated variable US prognostic (USPro) marker. USPro had a much higher AUC (0.86) than other single features and showed a cutoff value of 0.18145, with 0.75 sensitivity and 0.84 specificity. This variable had a weaker power in prognosis when compared with PUS in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The application of abdominal color Doppler US can provide high accuracy and sensitivity in NEC diagnosis and also contribute to its prognosis, without induction of radiation. Suspected neonates should be examined using this technique as early as possible.

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Published

2021-11-09

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Gao, H.-X. ., Yi, B. ., Mao, B.-H. ., Li, W.-Y. ., Bai, X. ., Zhang, Y. ., Tang, J.-M. ., Liu, P.-Q. ., & Cheng, K. . (2021). Efficacy of abdominal ultrasound inspection in the diagnosis and prognosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Clinics, 76, e1816. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2021/e1816