Characteristics of the study population
| Demographics | Step A (n=5) | Step B (n=5) | Step C (n=5) |
| Sex (male/female) | 4/1 | 3/2 | 2/3 |
| Gestational age (weeks+days) | 27.9 (24.1–33.1) | 24.1 (23.4–25) | 25.3 (22.6–26.4) |
| Gestational age <28 weeks (n, %) | 3 (60) | 5 (100) | 5 (100) |
| Birth weight (g) | 1193 (711–2010) | 610 (490–750) | 700 (503–740) |
| Birth weight <1000 g (n, %) | 1 (20) | 5 (100) | 5 (100) |
| Age at diagnosis (days) | 31 (7–56) | 24 (14–42) | 17 (7–58) |
| Weight at RIC (g) | 1770 (1143–2490) | 951 (840–1064) | 1435 (937–1597) |
| Postnatal age at RIC (days) | 34 (9–59) | 28 (26–44) | 43 (19–65) |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation at the time of RIC | 3 (60) | 5 (100) | 5 (100) |
| Inotropic support at the time of RIC | 1 (20) | 0 | 0 |
| NEC Bell’s stage at the time of RIC (n, %) | |||
| I | 1 (20) | 1 (20) | 0 (0) |
| II | 1 (20) | 1 (20) | 1 (20) |
| III | 3 (60) | 3 (60) | 4 (80) |
| NEC treatment (n, %) | |||
| Medical | 3 (60) | 1 (20) | 1 (20) |
| Surgical | 2 (40) | 4 (80) | 4 (80) |
| Death (n) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Data are expressed as median (range) or number of patients (percentage), depending on the variable.
NEC, necrotising enterocolitis; RIC, remote ischaemic conditioning.