The perinatal factors that influence the excretion of fecal calprotectin in premature-born children

Jelena R Cekovic; Nikola S Prodanovic; Sara S Mijailovic; Sanja M Knezevic; Biljana P Vuletic; Andjelka K Stojkovic; Dragana M Savic; Tijana V Prodanovic; Marina M Stanojevic; Aleksandra M Simovic

doi:10.1515/med-2022-0522

The perinatal factors that influence the excretion of fecal calprotectin in premature-born children

Open Med (Wars). 2022 Jul 13;17(1):1275-1281. doi: 10.1515/med-2022-0522. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jelena R Cekovic¹, Nikola S Prodanovic^{2

3}, Sara S Mijailovic⁴, Sanja M Knezevic^{5

6}, Biljana P Vuletic^{5

7}, Andjelka K Stojkovic^{5

8}, Dragana M Savic^{1

5}, Tijana V Prodanovic¹, Marina M Stanojevic⁹, Aleksandra M Simovic^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Center for Neonatology, Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
² Department of Alloartoplastic Surgery, Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Clinical Center Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
³ Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovica 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁴ Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁶ Department of Cardiology, Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁷ Department of Gastroenterology, Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁸ Department of Pulmonology, Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁹ Department of Neonatology, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.

Abstract

This study aimed to provide additional information on the influence of perinatal factors on fecal (f)-calprotectin values in preterm infants. Calprotectin was determined from the first spontaneous stool (analyzed on the Alegria device by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] method) obtained from neonates at a mean age of 3.41 ± 2.44 days of life. We analyzed 114 subjects who had a body weight of 1847.67 ± 418.6 g and were born at a gestational age of 32.6 ± 2.43 weeks, without intestinal and other congenital anomalies or any diseases other than those related to premature birth. The values of f-calprotectin are in a positive correlation with female subjects, intrauterine growth restriction, significant ductus arteriosus, enteral feeding intolerance, postnatal prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and values of bicarbonates (analyzed in a sample of capillary arterial blood). Measurement of f-calprotectin in the first 7 days after birth can help to early detect the intestinal distress or early staging of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants.

Keywords: calprotectin; necrotizing enterocolitis; preterm newborn.