ANALYSIS OF RISK FACTORS AND CLINICAL AND PARACLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF GASTROINTESTINAL DYSFUNCTION IN NEWBORNS IN PERINATAL PATHOLOGY
Authors: Kuryk O. , Hodovanets Y. 
Published: May 2022

In recent decades, there has been a worldwide trend toward increasing rates of functional and organic pathology of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in children. Presently, diseases of digestive organs rank second in frequency among pathologies of the pediatric population after acute respiratory diseases. Development of functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract in children in the first year of life is mainly caused by anatomic and physiological characteristics of the digestive system, as well as high sensitivity and ease of damage of all its parts. Current literature suggests that children born to mothers during difficult pregnancy or childbirth are at increased risk for developing this pathology.Objective of the study: To determine perinatal risk factors and clinical and paraclinical features of gastrointestinal functional disorders in newborns with perinatal pathology.Materials and methods. The study enrolled 82 full-term infants with severe perinatal pathology, with clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal dysfunction (Group I), and 50 healthy infants (Group II) as a comparison group. Exclusion criteria for the study were: congenital malformations, low birth weight, clinical manifestations of infection. To assess metabolic disorders, a comprehensive assessment of the biochemical blood spectrum with the level of total protein and albumin, total bilirubin and its fractions, glucose, urea and uric acid, cholesterol and triglycerides; activity of AlAT, AsAT, LDH, LF, GGTP. Biochemical studies were performed using a Cormay ACCENT biochemical analyzer (Poland, Cormay reagents).Results and discussion. Disorders of postnatal adaptation of newborns are noted in the conditions of mothers’ somatic disadvantages, implementation of unfavorable factors during pregnancy and labor. Analysis of somatic anamnesis, antenatal and intrapartum problems has made it possible to identify the main causes of neonatal adaptation disorders in the early neonatal period. The most important, taking into account maternal anamneses, in the patients of the main group were: cardiovascular system pathology in 30 (36, 59%) cases, urinary system pathology in 22 (26, 83%) cases, endocrine system pathology in 17 (20, 73%) cases, digestive system pathology in 11 (13, 41%) cases, and respiratory system pathology in 8 (9, 76%) cases; gynecological pathology was diagnosed in 16 (19, 51%). The antenatal period was complicated by: placental dysfunction in 10 (12.20%) cases, hydramnios in 8 (9.76%) cases, fetal distress in 10 (12.20%) cases, and cord entanglement around the neck in 5 (6.10%) cases. Overall, there were 14 (17.07%) cases with a poor obstetric history. Caesarean section was performed in 24 (29.27%) cases, vacuum-assisted delivery in 4 (4.88%) cases.The list of diseases responsible for the severity of the newborn's condition was presented according to the main diagnosis: 66 (80.5%) cases had central nervous system involvement in the form of hypoxic-ischemic lesion/neonatal encephalopathy, 27 (32.9%) cases had severe respiratory distress, 13 (15.9%) cases had moderate asphyxia and 11 (13.4%) cases had severe asphyxia, 10 (12.2%) cases had moderate respiratory distress and 2 (2.4%) cases had hemolytic disease in newborn. All patients of the main group also had concomitant diagnoses. The condition of the main group neonates was characterized by more severe somatic and neurological status disorders, formation of MOD syndrome with the development of signs of food intolerance due to complex disorders of the gastrointestinal system. Complex disorders of food tolerance were observed in 71 (86,59%) children, regurgitation/stasis - in 66 (80,49%) neonates, paresis/weak intestinal peristalsis - in 47 (57,32%) patients, flatus - in 3 (3,66%) cases, meconium retention - in 3 (3.66%) cases, isolated absence of sucking reflex/ wobbly sucking was found in 3 (3.66%) cases, enlargement of liver and spleen - in 1 (1.22%) patient. The complex of serum biochemical studies showed significant dysmetabolic changes, which to some extent explain the pathophysiological mechanisms of gastrointestinal dysfunction. In particular, revealed violations of protein-synthetic function of the liver and delays in the production and excretion of bile, enzyme deficiency and cytolytic syndrome.Conclusions. Disorders of the digestive system in newborns is one of the manifestations of general body dysfunction in conditions of hypoxia with the implementation of unfavorable factors of pregnancy and childbirth in the mother.Clinical signs of food intolerance in newborn infants are regurgitation/stasis, paresis/weak intestinal peristalsis, flatus, meconium retention, absence of sucking reflex/wobbly sucking, enlarged liver and spleen.Complex serum biochemical studies in newborns with gastrointestinal disorders showed impaired protein-synthetic liver function, delayed production and excretion of bile, enzymatic insufficiency and cytolytic syndrome.