Management of isolated rectal bleeding in newborn infants: comparison of two time periods.

AIM: To demonstrate the differences in treatment of isolated rectal bleeding (IRB) by comparing two study time period groups and to evaluate whether decreased treatment intensity increased complications during the follow-up period.

METHODS

Retrospective recording of medical charts of 307 neonates with IRB during two time periods.

RESULTS

The rate of IRB in both period groups was similar among term and near-term infants, but significantly lower among preterm infants in the later period study group. The rate of breast milk feeding among preterm infants increased significantly in the later compared with the early group. Duration of antibiotic treatments and feeding cessation was significantly shortened in the late period study as compared with the early period. The rates of recurrent episodes of IRB among preterm infants were similar in the early and late period groups. No infant developed necrotizing enterocolitis within the episode of isolated rectal bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased treatment duration to 1 day of nil per os and 2 days of antibiotics was not associated with increased rates of deterioration to severe clinical conditions, nor to recurrent episodes of isolated rectal bleeding.