Cord blood epidermal growth factor as a possible predictor of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels in cord blood as a possible marker for predicting the subsequent development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.


METHODS
A total of 241 VLBW infants (38 infants developed NEC and 203 had no NEC) were enrolled. EGF concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
VLBW infants who subsequently developed NEC had significantly lower cord serum concentrations of EGF than those who did not (p < 0.0001). Moreover, cord blood concentrations of EGF were significantly lower in infants with stage III than those with stage II or I NEC (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low cord blood EGF was independently associated with the subsequent risk of NEC (OR = 0.978 [95% CI: 0.959-0.997]; p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Low cord blood EGF concentrations may predict the subsequent development of NEC in VLBW infants.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
W A
WA
Wahab Mohamed
A M
AM
Aseeri
D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor
Epidermal growth factor; necrotizing enterocolitis; very low birth weight infants