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NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS
Author(s) -
R I Thompson
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1977.tb131010.x
Subject(s) - citation , necrotizing enterocolitis , computer science , information retrieval , world wide web , medicine , pediatrics
SIR: I commend the timely and comprehensive review by Dr Genevieve Cummins on the important subject of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (Journal , March 12). However. as a radiologist , I must contest her statement that pneumatosis intestinalis in the neonate is pathognomonic of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Undoubtedly. pneumatosi s is an important radiological feature of this condition but it is by no means specific. 1 Two main groups of neonates other than those with NEC can exhibit pneumatosis. First. those with intestinal obstruction and no enterocol itis. The gas is presumably forced into the bowel wall by increased intraluminal pressure in the presence of mucosal disruption. This can result from direct mechanical stret ching or be secondary to ischaemic change following vascular compromise. It is seen in small bowel atresias, and, in these, the pneumatosis is classically of the DP 38/06 Annual General Meeting of the Society in Melbourne (N ovemb er. 1976) a subcommittee was appointed to take up the very po ints that they have raised . While Dr Phill ips and Dr Pain comment mainly on the cost-effectiveness of glucose tolerance testing. the main aim of the subcommittee will be to advi se on criteria for interpretation to avoid the overdiagnosis of diabete s mellitus. The actual diagnosis of diabetes has many connotations in psychological and physical terms apart from being widely used in testing the fitness for certain occupations, assessment of life insurance policies, etc. For some time now, diabetologists in this country have been very concerned about the various methods that are being used to perform glucose tolerance tests, apart from the number of different and widely variant methods of interpretation. It is for th is reason that the Australian Diabetes Society has seen fit to take action on these matters. The subcommittee would be pleased to receive comments or submissions from an y interested person or organizations. These may be addressed to the convenor, Dr Paul Zimmet. RATIONALIZING THE DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES MELLITUS