title: Fecal calprotectin excretion in preterm infants during the neonatal period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fecal calprotectin has been proposed as a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease in adults and children. Fecal calprotectin levels have been reported to be much higher in both healthy full-term and preterm infants than in children and adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the time course of fecal calprotectin (f-calprotectin) excretion in preterm infants from birth until hospital discharge and to identify factors influencing f-calprotectin levels in the first weeks of life, including bacterial establishment in the gut.
  
  
  METHODS
  F-calprotectin was determined using an ELISA assay in 147 samples obtained prospectively from 47 preterm infants (gestational age, and birth-weight interquartiles 27-29 weeks, and 880-1320 g, respectively) at birth, and at 2-week intervals until hospital discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although median f-calprotectin excretion was 138 microg/g, a wide range of inter- and intra-individual variation in f-calprotectin values (from day 3 to day 78) was observed (86% and 67%, respectively). In multivariate regression analysis, f-calprotectin correlated negatively with ante and per natal antibiotic treatment (p = 0.001), and correlated positively with the volume of enteral feeding (mL/kg/d) (p = 0.009), the need to interrupt enteral feeding (p = 0.001), and prominent gastrointestinal colonization by Clostridium sp (p = 0.019) and Staphylococcus sp (p = 0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the first weeks of life, the high f-calprotectin values observed in preterm infants could be linked to the gut bacterial establishment.
authors.affiliation: INRA UMR 1280, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Université de Nantes, CRNH, Nantes, IMAD, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rougé
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Butel
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piloquet
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferraris
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Legrand
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vodovar
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voyer
authors.forename: Marie-France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de la Cochetière
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Darmaun
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rozé
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015415:Biomarkers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex