title: Comparison of the different kinds of feeding on the level of fecal calprotectin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Controversial results have been reported on the effect of type of feeding on the level of fecal calprotectin in infants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess fecal calprotectin levels in breast fed or nonbreast fed healthy infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted to compare fecal calprotectin in infants who were exclusively breastfed compared to those who were not breastfed in Shanghai, China. Stool samples were collected and analyzed, and the fecal calprotectin concentration was determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The infant's weight and length were measured. Parents were asked to fill in a brief questionnaire, with questions about several clinical and sociodemographic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 105 healthy infants aged 0-5 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stool samples were obtained from 105 healthy infants (63 boys, 42 girls) with a median age of 2.86 months (range 1-5.88). The median fecal calprotectin concentration was significantly higher in breast fed infants (377μg/g, range 35-937μg/g) than that in nonbreast fed ones (233μg/g, range 37-895μg/g) (p=0.001). A correlation was found that from 0 to 5 months, fecal calprotectin was negatively and significantly associated with age in both two kinds of feeding (breast fed: Spearman's rho -0.346, p=0.010; nonbreast fed: Spearman's rho -0.478, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that the kind of feeding influences the fecal calprotectin concentration and breast fed infants have higher levels than nonbreast fed ones in the first months of life. This may represent that human milk influences the gut mucosa by immunomodulating factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jingqiu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Junli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Adolescents Health Care, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: shengxiaoyangcn@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Xiaoyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex
keywords: Breast-feeding; Fecal calprotectin; Formula-feeding; Infants