title: Platelet-activating factor in infants at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a heterogeneous phospholipid that has been implicated as participating in a number of perinatal disease processes including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline blood levels of PAF and related lipids (PAF-LL) were measured for 164 infants at risk for NEC from 3 neonatal intensive care units. Serial levels were obtained from the 11 infants in whom NEC developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean peak PAF-LL in the infants without NEC was 2.03 +/- 1.96 ng/mL. Infants with stage II (n = 6) and III (n = 5) NEC had elevated peak PAF-LL values (mean peak value 13.6 +/- 6.9 ng/mL). No PAF-LL measurements obtained from infants during stage II or III NEC were <2.03 ng/mL. Three infants had PAF-LL elevations before the development of any clinical or radiographic evidence of NEC. PAF-LL level increased as the severity of NEC increased and decreased with its resolution. Setting a PAF-LL level of 10.2 ng/mL as a cutoff for NEC had a positive predictive value of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PAF-LL determinations can complement clinical and radiographic studies to diagnose and follow the progression of NEC. PAF-LL may have a role in the evolution of NEC.
authors.affiliation: Children's Medical Center of Brooklyn, the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, State University of New York - Health Science Center at Brooklyn, USA.  
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rabinowitz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dzakpasu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piecuch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kornecki
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D010972:Platelet Activating Factor