Table 1 Basic demographic and clinical data of the study population. Significant values are highlighted
Clinical parameter | Whole population (n = 28, 100%) | Preterm patients without cardiac disease (n = 10) | Patients with cardiac disease (n = 18) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sex [n (%)] | ||||
 Male  Female | 17 (71%) 11 (39%) | 6 (60%) 4 (40%) | 11 (61%) 7 (39%) | 1.000 |
Gestational age [weeks [median (range)]] | 32.7 (23.6–39.6) | 31.1 (25.3–35.6) | 36.5 (23.6–39.6) | 0.142 |
Weight at birth [g [median (range)]] | 1940 (550–3300) | 1670 (780–2160) | 2205 (550–3300) | 0.245 |
Leading cardiac malformations [n (%)]  Persisting ductus arteriosus  Atrial/ventricular septal defect  Pulmonary stenosis with double outlet ventricle  Transposition of the great arteries  Hypoplastic left heart syndrome  Tetralogy of Fallot  Ebstein’s anomaly | 18 (64%) 5 (18%) 2 (7%) 2 (7%) 3 (11%) 3 (11%) 2 (7%) 1 (3%) | 0 | 18 (100%) 5 (28%) 2 (11%) 2 (11%) 3 (17%) 3 (17%) 2 (11%) 1 (6%) | < 0.0001 0.128 0.524 0.524 0.533 0.533 0.524 1.000 |
BELL-stage [n (%)] | ||||
 IIb  IIIa  IIIb | 10 (36%) 2 (7%) 16 (57%) | 4 (40%) 1 (10%) 5 (50%) | 6 (33%) 1 (6%) 11 (61%) | 0.854 |
Perforation [n (%)] | ||||
 Yes  No | 16 (57%) 12 (43%) | 5 (50%) 5 (50%) | 11 (61%) 7 (39%) | 0.698 |
Localization of NEC [n (%)] | ||||
 Small bowels  Colon  Both localizations | 10 (36%) 11 (39%) 7 (25%) | 5 (50%) 3 (30%) 2 (20%) | 5 (28%) 8 (44%) 5 (28%) | 0.602 |
Proof of bacteria (intraperitoneal swabs) [n (%)] | ||||
 Yes  No | 12 (43%) 16 (57%) | 1 (10%) 9 (90%) | 11 (61%) 7 (39%) | 0.016 |
Proof of bacteria (intraperitoneal swabs) [n (%), multiple answers possible/patient] | ||||
 E. coli  Enterobacter cloacae  Enterococcus  Staphylococcus  Serratia marcescens  Citrobacter koseri | 3 (11%) 1 (4%) 4 (14%) 7 (25%) 1 (4%) 1 (4%) | 1 (10%) 1 (10%) | 3 (17%) 1 (6%) 3 (17%) 6 (33%) 1 (6%) 1 (6%) | 0.533 1.000 1.000 0.364 1.000 1.000 |
Fulminant NEC [n (%)] | ||||
 Yes  No | 8 (29%) 20 (71%) | 2 (20%) 8 (80%) | 6 (33%) 12 (67%) | 0.669 |
Short bowel syndrome [n (%)] | ||||
 Yes  No | 5 (18%) 23 (82%) | 2 (20%) 8 (80%) | 3 (17%) 15 (83%) | 1.000 |
Survival [n (%)] | ||||
 Yes  No | 20 (71%) 8 (29%) | 9 (90%) 1 (10%) | 11 (61%) 7 (39%) | 0.194 |
pH at diagnosis [median (range)] | 7.32 (7.04–7.53) | 7.31 (7.10–7.53) | 7.33 (7.04–7.50) | 0.488 |
Base excess at diagnosis [mmol/l [median (range)]] | − 4.3 (− 17.0 to 6.3) | − 6.9 (− 17.0 to − 2.1) | − 2.1 (− 9.3 to 6.3) | 0.013 |
Lactate at diagnosis [mmol/l [median (range)]] | 2.5 (1.0–11.4) | 2.3 (1.4–8.8) | 3.0 (1.0–11.4) | 0.924 |
White blood cell count at diagnosis [n × 109/l [median (range)]] | 4.5 (0.5–23.1) | 4.5 (0.5–9.3) | 4.5 (1.3–23.1) | 0.796 |
Platelet count at diagnosis [n/μl [median (range)]] | 193.0 (22.0–571.0) | 214.0 (22.0–314.0) | 188.0 (51.0–571.0) | 0.832 |
CrP at diagnosis [mg/l [median (range)]] | 40.9 (0.6–259.0) | 10.2 (0.6–259.0) | 52.7 (10.8–220.3) | 0.160 |