Abstract

Objective: To determine the characteristics of full term and preterm neonates with isolated rectal bleeding (IRB), and to follow the outcome of these low risk patients.

Design: A retrospective case-control study consisting of 147 cases (83 full term and near term infants and 64 preterm infants) and 147 controls in a single institution.

Results: A feeding regimen that did not include breast milk was the only variable found to predict IRB. In full term and near term babies (gestational age ⩾ 35 weeks), 52.6% of the study group were breast fed compared with 83.1% of the controls (p < 0.0001). In preterm babies (gestational age ⩽ 34 weeks), 45.9% of the study group were breast fed compared with 74.2% of the controls (p = 0.0014). No obvious systemic infection cause was detected. None of the patients showed clinical or radiological deterioration in the days after diagnosis of IRB.

Conclusions: The outcome of a group of low risk neonates with IRB was excellent. It is questionable whether antibiotic treatment is required and feeding needs to be stopped. Breast feeding, even if only partial, should be encouraged.