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.

Scientists reveal how breast milk prevents necrotizing enterocolitis in premature babies

The immune-boosting properties of breast milk have long been known. Now a team of scientists led by Johns Hopkins pediatric surgeon-in-chief David Hackam, M.D., Ph.D., says experiments in mice reveal how breast milk works to ward off the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a devastating intestinal disorder that affects 12 percent of premature babies and claims the lives of one in four of those who have it.

23 Apr 2015

New standardized approach for feeding infants in NICU improves growth of babies

A new standardized approach for feeding infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) helps babies attain full oral feeds sooner, improves their growth and sends them home sooner.

3 Mar 2015

Eight clinical researchers selected as finalists for Outstanding Investigator Award at Cardiology 2015

Pediatric cardiology researchers and clinicians from numerous centers from around the world are gathering at the Cardiology 2015: the 18th Annual Update on Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Disease conference, sponsored by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Phoenix Children's Hospital on Feb. 11 to Feb. 15 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

16 Feb 2015

Researchers to present report on impact of fetal gender on preterm birth risk at The Pregnancy Meeting

In a study to be presented on Feb. 7 in an oral concurrent session at 8 a.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in San Diego, researchers will report on the impact of fetal gender on the risk of preterm birth and neonatal outcome.

3 Feb 2015

CHLA scientists grow tissue-engineered small intestine from human cells

A new study by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles has shown that tissue-engineered small intestine grown from human cells replicates key aspects of a functioning human intestine. The tissue-engineered small intestine they developed contains important elements of the mucosal lining and support structures, including the ability to absorb sugars, and even tiny or ultra-structural components like cellular connections.

9 Jan 2015

Children who require long-term parenteral nutrition are at risk of IAFLD

Children who require long-term parenteral nutrition are at risk of a potentially devastating complication called intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IAFLD). The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of IAFLD are discussed in a new position paper in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, official journal of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

5 Oct 2014

Growth factors present in human breast milk may protect against intestinal damage

Studies Suggest that ErbB4 Receptor Activation May Be a Novel Therapeutic Avenue for Intestinal Diseases Involving Epithelial Cell Death, According to Research Published in The American Journal of Pathology

10 Sep 2014

Breast milk may protect premature infants from intestinal destruction

Premature infants are at increased risk for a potentially lethal gastrointestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC.

9 Sep 2014

Human milk diet protects intestines and supports growth of premature infants

For premature infants, adequate growth while in the neonatal intensive care unit is an indicator of better long-term health and developmental outcomes.

18 Aug 2014

Bacteria may depend more on gastrointestinal age than on environmental factors in babies

Scientists believe babies are born with digestive systems containing few or no bacteria. Their guts then quickly become colonized by microbes — good and bad — as they nurse or take bottles, receive medication and even as they are passed from one adoring relative to another.

12 Aug 2014

Heart rate may identify premature infants at risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis

Measuring variability of heart rate may identify premature infants at risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious inflammatory condition that can lead to death, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

13 Jun 2014

Medela signs agreement to acquire enteral feeding assets of Acacia

Medela today announced the signing of an agreement to acquire the enteral feeding assets of Acacia, Inc., a Brea, Calif.-based company that designs and produces a line of high-quality neonatal feeding devices.

6 May 2014

AGA Research Foundation announces 2014 AGA Research Scholars

The American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation is pleased to announce the 2014 AGA Research Scholars. The AGA Research Scholar Awards program, launched in 1984, enables young investigators to develop independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases. This year, the AGA Research Scholar Awards fund an additional year allowing for three consecutive years of funding.

25 Apr 2014

Risk factor for life-threatening bowel infection in premature infants identified

Many premature infants suffer a life-threatening bowel infection called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

17 Jan 2014

Low birth weight infants more susceptible to invasive infections

Low birth weight infants are host to numerous microorganisms immediately after birth, and the microbiomes of their mouths and gut start out very similar but differentiate significantly by day 15 according to a study published in mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

29 Oct 2013

Breast milk purchased over Internet contained bacteria that can cause illness in infants

Results from a study led by researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital found more than three-fourths of breast milk samples purchased over the Internet contained bacteria that can cause illness, and frequently exhibited signs of poor collection, storage or shipping practices.

21 Oct 2013

Studies reveal potential of HB-EGF in protecting intestines from diverse types of injury

It's not often that one treatment offers therapeutic potential for multiple conditions. However, after more than two decades of research, Gail Besner, MD, principal investigator for the Center for Perinatal Research and pediatric surgeon for the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and her team have found that this may just be the case with HB-EGF, or heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor.

21 Aug 2013

Breast milk might prevent premature babies from deadly intestinal condition

An ingredient that naturally occurs in breast milk might be used to prevent premature babies from developing a deadly intestinal condition that currently is largely incurable, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in this week's online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

7 May 2013

Study investigates new way to treat necrotizing enterocolitis

Stem cells taken from amniotic fluid were used to restore gut structure and function following intestinal damage in rodents, in new research published in the journal Gut.

25 Mar 2013

Probiotics shows promise in reducing both incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis

"Good" bacteria that live in our intestines have been linked with a variety of health benefits, from fighting disease to preventing obesity. In a new study, Kriston Ganguli of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School and her colleagues have discovered another advantage to these friendly microscopic tenants: Chemicals secreted by good bacteria that typically live in the intestines of babies could reduce the frequency and severity of a common and often-lethal disease of premature infants.

14 Feb 2013