With respect to our results of the gut microbiome analysis, Bacteroidetes appeared more abundant in the control group (3.48E-01 vs 1.10E-01 in NEC), showing a clear trend that, while not statistically significant ( P = 0.118), was marked by a large effect size (RBC = +0.5), suggesting potential biological relevance.
The Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio was markedly greater in NEC patients, especially NEC formula-fed patients, than in controls and NEC breastfed patients, with these differences approaching but not reaching significance ( P = 0.148) and demonstrating a moderate effect size (ε 2 = 0.14).
Although Bacteroidetes and Bacteroides did not reach statistical significance, their effect sizes suggest a need for further investigation into their roles in NEC pathogenesis in full-term infants.