Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis - Assignment Example The initial search was done in PubMed using the MeSH terms "necrotizing enterocolitis" "preterm" "breastfeeds" "formula feeds". The limits set for the search was "English language article only" because of lack of understanding of the reviewer of other languages. The search yielded 12 results. After this, google scholar was used for the search. The key terms used for the search were "necrotizing enterocolitis" "very low birth weight infants" "preterm" "breastfeeds" "formula feeds." The search yielded 130 articles. Abstracts from the articles in the first 2 pages of the search were reviewed for selection of pertinent and useful articles. Further on, CINAHL database also was used for the search. Search in this database was pursued after logging in and using the search terms "necrotizing enterocolitis" "very low birth weight infants" "preterm" "breastfeeds" "formula feeds". It was found that the articles found in Google Scholar and CINAHL database were there in PubMed too. From these dat abases, 3 articles were selected to answer the PICO question and facilitate evidence-based practice. The gold standard for any evidence-based practice is randomized controlled trials which when performed with optimized research designs that can answer pertinent questions. However, meta-analysis and a systematic review have topped the hierarchy list and when present, they are preferred to randomized controlled trials (Evans, 2003). According to the Cochrane database, in preterm infants with low birth weight, formula milk is associated with higher risk for NEC when compared to donor breast milk. Such an inference was based on the exhaustive meta-analysis conducted by Quiley, Henderson, Anthony et al (2007) in which the researchers reviewed randomized controlled trials pertaining to this topic. It was found that formula-fed infants had a statistically higher incidence of NNEC (2.5, 95% confidence interval 1.2, 5.1); when compared to breast milk-fed group (33, 95% confidence interval 17, 100).  Ã‚