MicroRNA-320а as a novel biomarker at preclinical stage of necrotizing enterocolitis in term neonates with congenital heart defects

Table 2 Characteristics of newborns with critical congenital heart defects enrolled in the study, n (%)

Newborns’ characteristic (n)		No-NEC (n = 14)	NEC (n = 9)	P value
					Sex
Female (6)	5 (36)	1 (11)	0.34
Male (17)	9 (64)	8 (89)
Gestational age (week) (23)		39 (39-40)	39 (38-39)	0.26
Birth weight (g) (23)		3345 (2960-3810)	3140 (3020-3580)	0.64
Mode of delivery	Unassisted vaginal delivery (15)	9 (64)	6 (67)	0.41
	Assisted vaginal delivery (1)	0	1 (11)
	Cesarean section (7)	5 (36)	2 (22)
Maternal factors	Chorioamnionitis (3)	3 (21)	0	0.22
	Prelabor rupture of membranes (2)	1 (7)	1 (11)
	Preeclampsia (0)	0	0
	Gestational diabetes (3)	3 (21)	0
Apgar score at 1 minute (23)		7 (7-8)	7 (7-7)	0.78
Apgar score at 5 minutes (23)		8 (8-8)	8 (8-8)	0.51
Intrauterine growth retardation (3)		1 (7)	2 (22)	0.54
Congenital heart defects	Cyanotic (15)	9 (64)	6 (67)	1.0
	Acyanotic (8)	5 (36)	3 (33)
Parameters before cardiac surgery
Feeding	Breast milk (7)	4 (29)	3 (33)	0.91
	Formula (7)	4 (29)	3 (33)
	Breast milk + Formula (9)	6 (43)	3 (33)
Feeding volume (mL/kg/day)		56.3 (28.0-80.8)	42.0 (34.1-72.7)	0.95
Superior mesenteric artery resistance index		0.99 (0.93-1.10)	0.95 (0.94-1.12)	0.79
Antibiotics at sample collection (Ampicillin + Sulbactam) (7)		3 (21)	4 (44)	1.0
Rashkind procedure/balloon valvuloplasty (6)		2 (14)	4 (44)	0.16
Prostaglandin E1 infusion (ng/kg/minute)		10 (10-20)	15 (10-25)	0.61
Inotropic therapy (3)		1 (7)	2 (22)	0.54
Parameters of cardiac surgery
Age at cardiac surgery (days)		7.5 (5.0-8.0)	4.0 (6.0-11.5)	0.72
Palliative surgery (10)		5 (36)	5 (56)	0.42
Duration of cardiac surgery (minute)		235.0 (212.5-347.5)	185.0 (161.0-353.0)	0.33
Aristotle score		7.9 (7.0-11.0)	7.0 (6.3-12.3)	0.50
Cardiopulmonary bypass (17)		10 (71)	7 (78)	1.0
Delayed sternal closure (11)		7 (50)	4 (44)	1.0
Parameters after cardiac surgery
Arterial hypotension on POD1 (13)		8 (57)	5 (56)	1.0
Heart rhythm disturbances on POD1 (9)		5 (36)	4 (44)	1.0
Maximum vasoactive-inotropic score during the first 24 hours after surgery		15.0 (12.6-31.3)	25.0 (7.5-38.8)	0.59
Duration of inotropic therapy (days)		4.0 (2.5-7.0)	10.0 (2.5-20.0)	0.17
Maximum arterial lactate concentration within 24 hours (mmol/L)		3.5 (2.7-5.1)	5.0 (2.7-9.6)	0.48
Arterial lactate concentration at 24 hours (mmol/L)		2.0 (1.8-2.6)	2.3 (1.5-6.5)	0.65
Start of enteral feeding on POD1		11 (79)	5 (56)	0.36
Start of enteral feeding (days)		1.0 (1.0-1.3)	1.0 (1.0-6.0)	0.14
Feeding volume on POD1 (mL/kg/day)		13.1 (6.91-16.0)	3.9 (0.0-10.8)	0.09
Feeding volume on POD3 (mL/kg/day)		33.9 (22.9-56.7)	1.0 (0.0-19.4)	0.004
NEC onset (days)		0	2.0 (1.0-5.0)	-
Intestinal wall thickening on POD1 by ultrasonography (9)		5 (36)	4 (44)	0.38
Pneumatosis intestinalis on POD1 by ultrasonography (4)		0	4 (44)	-
Neonatal intensive care unit duration (days)		6.5 (4.0-16.5)	14.0 (5.5-26.5)	0.17
Antibiotics at sample collection (20)		11 (cefoperazone + sulbactam: 5; cefuroxime: 2; cefotaxime: 1; ampicillin/sulbactam: 2; piperacillin/tazobactam: 1)	9 (cefoperazone + sulbactam: 3; cefuroxime: 1; ampicillin/sulbactam: 2; meropenem: 2; ertapenem: 1)	0.25

Data are n (%) or median (interquartile range). NEC: Necrotizing enterocolitis; POD: Postoperative day.