ArticleThe Journal of pediatrics2023
Generalizability of the Necrotizing Enterocolitis Surgery Trial to the Target Population of Eligible Infants.
Article in The Journal of pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01029353 (A Multi-center Randomized Trial of Laparotomy vs. Drainage as the Initial Surgical Therapy for ELBW Infants With Necrotizing Enterocolitis), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Multi-center Randomized Trial of Laparotomy vs. Drainage as the Initial Surgical Therapy for ELBW Infants With Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) or Isolated Intestinal Perforation (IP): Outcomes at 18-22 Months Adjusted Age
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Peritoneal drainage versus laparotomy as initial treatment for surgical necrotising enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation in preterm very low birth weight infants.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Surgical Interventions for NEC-An Overview.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors at 8 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate whether infants randomized in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network Necrotizing Enterocolitis Surgery Trial differed from eligible infants and whether differences affected the generalizability of trial results. STUDY
designSecondary analysis of infants enrolled in Necrotizing Enterocolitis Surgery Trial (born 2010-2017, with follow-up through 2019) at 20 US academic medical centers and an observational data set of eligible infants through 2013. Infants born ≤1000 g and diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation requiring surgical intervention at ≤8 weeks were eligible. The target population included trial-eligible infants (randomized and nonrandomized) born during the first half of the study with available detailed preoperative data. Using model-based weighting methods, we estimated the effect of initial laparotomy vs peritoneal drain had the target population been randomized.
resultsThe trial included 308 randomized infants. The target population included 382 (156 randomized and 226 eligible, non-randomized) infants. Compared with the target population, fewer randomized infants had necrotizing enterocolitis (31% vs 47%) or died before discharge (27% vs 41%). However, incidence of the primary composite outcome, death or neurodevelopmental impairment, was similar (69% vs 72%). Effect estimates for initial laparotomy vs drain weighted to the target population were largely unchanged from the original trial after accounting for preoperative diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (adjusted relative risk [95% CI]: 0.85 [0.71-1.03] in target population vs 0.81 [0.64-1.04] in trial) or spontaneous intestinal perforation (1.02 [0.79-1.30] vs 1.11 [0.95-1.31]).
conclusionDespite differences between randomized and eligible infants, estimated treatment effects in the trial and target population were similar, supporting the generalizability of trial results.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01029353.
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Registered trials
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