Results
A total of 590 children with cancer received chemotherapy during the study period. There were 224 children who presented with neutropenia with gastrointestinal symptoms and were screened for neutropenic enterocolitis. Three children had evidence of acute pancreatitis based on biochemical and imaging findings. A diagnosis of acute gastritis made after in 149 children. The rest 72 episodes were evaluated for NEC and enrolled into the study.
They were evaluated for NEC based on the study protocol. Of the 72 episodes evaluated for NEC, 37 had abnormalities on physical examination. CECT abdomen was done in 64 children, out of which 36 had findings in imaging studies suggestive of NEC. Based on the findings in physical examination and imaging studies, diagnosis of NEC was made in 48 children, 36 had definite enterocolitis and 12 had probable NEC. Diagnosis of NEC was excluded in 24 episodes. There were 4 children with repeat episodes of neutropenic enterocolitis contributing to the 48 episodes of neutropenic enterocolitis, with incidence of 7.4%.