title: Fecal S100A12: identifying intestinal distress in very-low-birth-weight infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine whether longitudinal measurements of fecal S100A12, a damage-associated molecular pattern protein, which is released from neutrophils or monocytes under stress, can detect very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants at risk for intestinal distress apart from necrotizing enterocolitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 46 VLBW infants with intestinal distress and 49 reference patients. Meconium and stool samples were collected prospectively on alternate days for 4 weeks, and fecal S100A12 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational age and weight at birth were significantly lower in patients with intestinal distress when compared to unaffected reference infants. Median levels of fecal S100A12 were significantly higher in patients with intestinal distress at onset of disease and before compared with unaffected reference infants. Median levels of fecal S100A12 declined steadily to baseline levels within 2 weeks after disease onset. The ideal cutoff value for identifying patients with intestinal distress within 7 days before disease onset was 60 μg/kg (sensitivity 0.73; specificity 0.55).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fecal S100A12 levels are increased in VLBW infants with intestinal distress; however, the potential for S100A12 as an early biomarker is largely limited by overlaps between values of infants with intestinal distress and the reference population.
authors.affiliation: Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia. Jan.Daebritz@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Däbritz
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Foell
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jenke
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001724:Birth Weight; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000378:metabolism*; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008470:Meconium; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009418:S100 Proteins