Artificial intelligence models have shown promise in the early detection and management of necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe condition in which gut inflammation leads to bacterial invasion and tissue death, according to a study recently published in Children.
What is necrotizing enterocolitis?
Necrotizing enterocolitis is one of the most severe gastrointestinal diseases that a newborn can be diagnosed with and is a leading cause of deaths among preterm newborns.
Necrotizing enterocolitis is considered a potential risk factor for fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT), as it can cause mucosal injury in the intestines, exposing fetal platelets to maternal alloantibodies. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have had a sizable affect on newborn healthcare, and scientists have applied the use of artificial intelligence to identify risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis and to make better clinical decisions.
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Researchers sought to assess the impact of artificial intelligence on necrotizing enterocolitis care and newborn healthcare in general. They searched for scientific papers that contained terms relevant to the theme of their study. At the end of this period, the research team identified a total of 45 articles that were then analyzed for their content and findings.
The research team found that artificial intelligence models can be combined with near-infrared spectroscopy to increase the accuracy of risk assessments for necrotizing enterocolitis. Scientists have also explored the use of both microbiomes and metabolic profiling as tools to identify cases of necrotizing enterocolitis.
Artificial intelligence models have also been useful in helping doctors make more incisive decisions regarding treatment. For example, artificial intelligence can be used to stage the disease and stratify risk. It can also predict disease progression, giving doctors a real-time look at how different factors affect decision-making.
Researchers have also found artificial intelligence to be a promising tool in analyzing medical imaging, which enhances clinical decision-making. In addition, advancements in artificial intelligence have made it easier to distinguish between necrotizing enterocolitis and neonatal sepsis, which is deeply beneficial in resource-limited care settings.
“From early diagnostic tools to decision-support systems, these technologies are reshaping neonatal care,” the authors of the study wrote.
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