title: [Value of serum cytosolic β-glucosidase in diagnosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to compare serum cytosolic β-glucosidase (CBG) levels of age-matched control patients with those of infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) thereby to determine the eventual association between serum CBG levels with extensive disease in infants with NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 96 premature infants were divided into the early NEC group (n = 25), confirmed NEC group (n = 23) and the control group (n = 48). Serum CBG concentration, C-reactive protein (CRP) and peripheral blood white blood cells (WBC) were measured at the onset of the disease in patients in early NEC or confirmed NEC groups and at weeks 2-3 in control infants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, Student's t-test, linear correlation, Spearman correlation analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median birth weights (mean ± SE) in the three groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Serum CBG concentration in the 3 groups were (112.369 ± 108.539) nmol/L, (693.013 ± 211.614) nmol/L and (36.478 ± 28.31) nmol/L, respectively. The infants in the confirmed NEC group had highest CBG levels, compared with the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). When the levels of CBG ≥ 65 ng/ml, CRP ≥ 2 mg/L and WBC < 5 × 10(9)/L within 3 days after birth or > 20 × 10(9)/L 3 days after birth were considered as positive parameters, the sensitivity of CBG and CRP was higher than that of WBC (P < 0.05). Among these indices, CBG had the highest specificity (87.4%), positive predictive (95.6%) and Youden's index (81.3%). CBG is correlated with CRP (the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.379, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CBG concentration increases early in NEC. Serum CBG level was associated with extensive disease in infants with NEC. Therefore CBG can be used as a marker in the early diagnosis of NEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Quanzhou Children's Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, China.
authors.forename: Dong-mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-feng
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Wei-lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001617:beta-Glucosidase