{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T23:22:55Z","timestamp":1790724175440,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,10]],"date-time":"2025-11-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762732800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diseases"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) represents a severe gastrointestinal emergency in preterm infants. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and predictive parameters for NEC requiring surgery and to evaluate associated short-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in preterm neonates diagnosed with NEC admitted to a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between January 2015 and May 2025. Demographic data, perinatal events, risk factors, clinical signs, imaging findings, and outcomes were analyzed, with a particular focus on surgically managed cases. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied. Results: Forty-four infants met the inclusion criterion. The mean gestational age (GA) was 29.34 \u00b1 4.3 weeks, and the mean birth weight was 1100 \u00b1 563 g. According to Bell\u2019s severity index, 45.5% had Bell Stage I, 36.4% Stage II, and 18.2% Stage III. Eleven patients (25%) required surgery. All surgical patients had abdominal distension, and 63.6% had bilious gastric residue. Abdominal X-ray showed pneumoperitoneum in 72.7% and pneumatosis intestinalis in 27.3% of cases. Laboratory abnormalities, including thrombocytopenia, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and hyponatremia (45.5%; 133 \u00b1 6.95 mmol\/L), were frequently associated with surgical NEC. A lower GA and birth weight correlated with a higher Bell stage (p = 0.0085 and p = 0.0291). Overall mortality was 29.5% (13\/44); surgical mortality was 9.1% (1\/11). Conclusions: In this single-center lot, low gestational age and birth weight, abdominal distension with bilious residuals, systemic inflammation, and hyponatremia were frequent among infants who required surgery. Selected infants may benefit from early surgery even without perforation, but inferences are limited by this study\u2019s sample size and retrospective design. Prospective multi-center studies are needed to validate predictors and refine surgical timing.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diseases13110368","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,10]],"date-time":"2025-11-10T15:07:31Z","timestamp":1762787251000},"page":"368","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Risk Factors and Predictive Parameters of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants\u2014A Single-Center Retrospective Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Tamas","family":"Toth","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution Organizing University Doctoral Studies (IOSUD), George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics Department, Targu Mures Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angela","family":"Borda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Histology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2537-4469","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Reka","family":"Borka-Balas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Clinic I, Targu Mures Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2498-5433","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuela","family":"Cucerea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"Neonatology Department, Targu Mures Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9394-5959","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emoke Andrea","family":"Szasz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Histology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Horea","family":"Gozar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics Department, Targu Mures Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Radu-Alexandru","family":"Prisca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics Department, Targu Mures Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Samuels, N., Van De Graaf, R.A., De Jonge, R.C.J., Reiss, I.K.M., and Vermeulen, M.J. 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