Diminished epidermal growth factor levels in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis.
OBJECTIVE
Because epidermal growth factor (EGF) is trophic to the intestinal mucosa, and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is associated with a disrupted intestinal mucosal barrier, the authors sought to determine whether diminished levels of EGF were present in infants with NEC.


METHODS
Saliva, serum, and urine specimens were obtained from infants with NEC during a 3-year period (February 1995 to May 1998). Control patients without NEC were chosen based on similar postnatal age and birthweight. EGF levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Differences between groups were compared using Mann-Whitney Rank sum test with P less than .05 considered significant. Results are presented as mean values +/-SEM.


RESULTS
Twenty-five infants with NEC were compared with 19 control patients. Birth weight (1,616+/-238 g control v. 1,271+/-124 g NEC) and postnatal age (23+/-6 days control v. 22+/-3 days NEC) were similar. Infants with NEC had significantly lower levels of EGF in both saliva (590+/-80 pg/mL control v. 239+/-41 pg/mL NEC; P<.001) and serum (35+/-8 pg/mL control v. 5.6+/-1.9 pg/mL NEC; P<.001). Urinary EGF was also lower in the NEC group, but was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Premature infants with NEC have significantly diminished levels of salivary and serum EGF. Reduced levels of this growth factor may distinguish infants at risk for NEC and play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the perturbed intestinal mucosal barrier that is central to this condition.
Shin
C E
CE
Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45229-3039, USA.
Falcone
R A
RA
Stuart
L
L
Erwin
C R
CR
Warner
B W
BW
D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor