Predicting risk of infection in infants with gastroschisis
Abstract Objective Identify clinical predictors of bloodstream (BSI) and urinary tract infections (UTI) in infants with gastroschisis. Study design Retrospective analysis of infants with gastroschisis admitted to 47 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) contributing to the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Database (CHND) from 2010–23. Outcomes were occurrence of BSI or UTI before discharge. Generalized linear models with generalized estimating equation (GEE) to account for hospitals as clusters utilized to identify factors independently related to the outcomes. Result Of 3987 eligible infants, rates of early BSI (within 3 days of birth) were 0.4%, any BSI 7.6% and UTI 3.5%. Median age of infection was 32 days for BSI and 39 days for UTI. Bowel atresia, silo/staged closure, patch closure, and additional anomalies were independently associated with these infections. Conclusion We identified clinical predictors of BSI and UTI, which should facilitate limitation of antibiotic use in low risk patients.
Authors
- Ellen Bendel‐Stenzel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5367-3039)
- Isabella Zaniletti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1234-3468)
- Jennifer A. Rumpel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5883-218X)
- Heidi Eigenrauch Karpen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3813-3189)
- Franscesca Miquel‐Verges (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4460-7990)
- Alaina K. Pyle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6776-6383)
- Michael Padula (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2050-5930)
- Stefanie L. Riddle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9945-6689)
- Elizabeth JACOBSON
- Theresa Grover
- on behalf of the CHNC Gastroschisis Focus Group
- Sadie Williams
- Karna Murthy
Institutions
- Northwestern University (US)
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US)
- Lurie Children's Hospital (US)
- Arkansas Children's Hospital (US)
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Children's Hospital Colorado (US)
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center (US)
- Seattle Children's Hospital (US)
- AdventHealth for Children (US)
- Northshore Education Consortium (US)
- Mayo Clinic in Arizona (US)
- Mayo Clinic in Florida (US)
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (US)
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
- University of Colorado Denver (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Perinatology
- Published
- 2026-09-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02880-x
- Primary Topic
- Congenital Anomalies and Fetal Surgery
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00