Petra Zahradníková, Lucia Hušťavová, Marian Vidiščák, Andrea Sihelská, Erich Murár
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most critical morbidities in preterm infants and the most frequent surgical intervention. The incidence of NEC is approximately 7% in very-low-birth weight infants, and its mortality is is still high, about 15% to 30%. Infants who survive NEC could have various complications, such as malnutrition, growth failure, are endangered with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, and neurodevelopmental delays. Aetiology and patogenesis of NEC is despite the effort of researches unknown. The most important etiological factor of NEC is structural and immunological intestinal immaturity. Associated factors in the development of NEC in premature infants is also perinatal asphyxia, IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Retardation), polycythemia, umbilical vessel catheterization, congenital heart defects (especially cyanotic), blood exchange transfusion, overloading improper diet composition (cow´s milk protein, hyperosmolar food), drug abuse by mothers (cocaine) and preeclampsia(23). In order to reduce the mortality and incidence of this insidious disease has become a key strategy for prevention of NEC. According to recent large randomized studies seem to be particularly effective early feeding with breast milk and administration of probiotics. The efficacy and use of other preventive strategies such as oral administration of immunoglobulins, antibiotics, prenatal administration of glucocorticoids, use of glutamine, arginine, lactoferrin, as well as administration of growth factors, erythropoietin, require more extensive study(12).