Necrotizing Enterocolitis News and Research

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Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening condition that manifests as inflammation of the intestines. This devastating disease affects mostly premature babies, who account for up to 8 out of every 10 cases. In NEC, bacteria invade the intestinal wall. The resulting local infection and inflammation lead to the destruction of the intestinal lining, even through its entire thickness.

Investigational protein replacement protects neonatal mice from deadly intestinal disease

Scientists from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and colleagues found that an investigational protein replacement – recombinant human insulin-like growth factor 1 and its binding protein-3 (rhIGF-1/BP3) – protected neonatal mice from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a deadly intestinal disease that often strikes extremely premature infants.

28 Feb 2024

Human vs. cow's milk fortifier in preterm infants: No significant outcome difference, study finds

Study compares the effects of feeding extremely preterm infants with human milk fortified with either human milk-based fortifier (HMBF) or cow's milk-based fortifier (BMBF), finding no significant difference in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, or death.

3 Jan 2024

Over 1,100 experts boycott medical journal for publishing unethical animal experiments

More than 1,100 experts have joined the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in boycotting the medical journal Nutrients until it stops publishing egregious animal experiments that could have been ethically conducted in humans.

21 Nov 2023

$3.9 million grant supports research on feeding intolerance in preterm infants

For infants, especially those born prematurely, nutrient absorption and proper development go hand in hand.

7 Nov 2023

Biofilm probiotic effective in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis in piglet model

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a debilitating and deadly condition that affects infants who were born preterm.

24 Oct 2023

Promising potential of probiotics and their byproducts for targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The use of probiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.

27 Sep 2023

Broad-spectrum antibiotics linked to higher sepsis risk in neonates

A preprint presents evidence for the hypothesis that neonatal sepsis is linked to prenatal antibiotics.

7 Sep 2023

Breastfeeding linked to reduced post-perinatal infant mortality

Among nearly 10 million US infants born between 2016 and 2018, breastfed babies were 33% less likely to die during the post-perinatal period (day 7−364) than infants who were not breastfed, reports a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier.

24 Jul 2023

Breast milk antibodies vary widely among mothers

Breast milk from each individual contains a unique assemblage of antibodies that are surprisingly stable throughout lactation and across pregnancies, according to a new Journal of Experimental Medicine study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

18 Jul 2023

Study examines the relationship between exclusive human milk consumption and gut microbiota in preterm infants

Researchers examine the impact of an exclusive human milk diet on the infant gut microbiome.

6 Mar 2023

Study: Black infants disproportionately die from necrotizing enterocolitis compared to White babies

A study published in JAMA Network Open has found that in the US between 1999 and 2020, Black infants disproportionately died from necrotizing enterocolitis compared to White infants, despite overall improvements in the rates of death from the disease.

3 Mar 2023

The role of omega-3 and omega-6 metabolites during pregnancy

Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids ingested through the diet are metabolized into bioactive compounds that influence inflammation. In a recent the journal Biomedicines study, scientists reviewed the existing literature and summarized their findings related to the role of omega-3 and omega-6 metabolites during pregnancy.

15 Jan 2023

LSU Health New Orleans to receive patent for a noninvasive test to diagnose fatal condition in preemies

US Patent 11,493,515 will be issued to LSU Health New Orleans on November 8, 2022, for a noninvasive test that more accurately diagnoses a potentially fatal condition in premature infants.

7 Nov 2022

Antenatal steroid therapy for pregnant women may improve survival among extremely preterm infants

Steroid treatment before birth appears to improve survival and reduce complications among extremely preterm infants, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

26 Sep 2022

Umbilical cord milking may be safe, more effective for non-vigorous term and near- term infants

A treatment to move blood from the umbilical cord into an infant's body may improve the overall health of newborns classified as non-vigorous—limp, pale and with minimal breathing, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

7 Sep 2022

New research unravels why breastmilk-fed preemies are healthier than formula-fed infants

Human breastmilk has long been considered "liquid gold" among clinicians treating premature infants in a newborn intensive care unit.

2 Aug 2022

Fortified breastmilk does not influence IQ in preterm infants

Scientists compare the cognitive and psychological development of preterm infants who were breastfed with or without fortification.

13 Jul 2022

How is the microbiome of an infant influenced by mother's bacteria?

A recent study explores the sources and functional importance of certain key species in the mother-infant transmission of the microbiota.

5 Jul 2022

The effects of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the newborn child

Even as the Omicron variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread worldwide, interest in understanding the sequelae of the disease is growing. A new preprint research paper examines the outcomes of babies born to mothers infected with the virus during pregnancy.

24 May 2022

Gut virome may warn of a serious and often fatal disease in preterm infants

Immediately after birth, human infants begin to develop a complex, interwoven fabric of microbes in their gut.

26 Apr 2022