Characteristics of fecal calprotectin as an early marker for suspected necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns exclusively fed maternal breast milk: a case-control study

Abstract

Objective Numerous studies have proposed using fecal calprotectin among many biomarkers associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate fecal calprotectin as an early marker for suspected NEC (stage 1) in infants fed exclusively breast milk. Methods We collected 20 stool samples from newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Aswan University Hospital diagnosed with stage I NEC. We compared them with 20 samples from matched healthy newborns. Fecal calprotectin level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Fecal calprotectin level was higher in cases than in the control group (P < 0.001). Also, there was a positive correlation between fecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein in the studied cases (P = 0.001). However, there were no correlations between fecal calprotectin and sex or postnatal age. Conclusion Fecal calprotectin levels increase in newborns with stage I NEC. Although not specific, its sensitivity suggests a role as a potential biomarker in the evaluation of suspected NEC.