Fecal calprotectin levels in preterm infants with and without feeding intolerance.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the level of fecal calprotectin in preterm neonates with feeding intolerance, as well as to evaluate it as a marker of feeding intolerance and to determine a cut-off level of fecal calprotectin in feeding intolerance.


METHODS
Analytical, multicenter, case-control study, which was carried out in neonatal intensive care units in Egypt, in a period from August 1, 2014 to March 1, 2015 on 52 preterm neonates. Neonates were classified into two groups; a study group including 26 neonates who met inclusion criteria and a control group including 26 neonates for comparison.


RESULTS
Fecal calprotectin levels ranged from 3.9μg/g to 971.8μg/g, and there was a significant increase in fecal calprotectin in the study group when compared to the control group (334.3±236.6μg/g vs. 42.0±38.2μg/g, respectively) with moderate inverse significant correlation between fecal calprotectin and birth weight. Furthermore, there was moderate, significant correlation between fecal calprotectin and duration of breastfeeding range. On the other hand, there was no correlation between fecal calprotectin and post-natal age, gestational age, or volume of feeding. A cut-off at the 67.0μg/g level, with 100.0% sensitivity and 76.9% specificity, was considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Fecal calprotectin level increased significantly in neonates with feeding intolerance; it can be used to detect early cases with necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates, but this subject still needs more investigations on more patients.
Suez Canal University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ismailia, Egypt.
Rehab
R
Moussa
Suez Canal University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ismailia, Egypt; University of Oulu, Medical Research Center (MRC), Research Unit of Pediatrics, Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Surgery, Child Psychiatry, Dermatology, Clinical Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophtalmology (PEDEGO), Oulu, Finland. Electronic address: Abdelmoneim_khashana@hotmail.com.
Abdelmoneim
A
Khashana
Suez Canal University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Pathology, Ismailia, Egypt.
Noha
N
Kamel
Suez Canal University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ismailia, Egypt.
Sonia Elsharqawy
SE
Elsharqawy
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004534:Egypt; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D018529:Nutritional Support; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex
Calprotectina fecal; Fecal calprotectin; Feeding intolerance; Intolerância alimentar; Neonatos prematuros; Preterm infants