Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants

ObjectiveTo explore the value of fecal calprotectin (FC) in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.MethodsFrom September 2021 to June 2024, 84 premature infants with NEC were selected as the NEC group, and 84 premature infants with feeding intolerance (feeding in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chen ZongLi, Luo KeYong, Jiang Liang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Pediatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1598448/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849423351426056192
author Chen ZongLi
Luo KeYong
Jiang Liang
author_facet Chen ZongLi
Luo KeYong
Jiang Liang
author_sort Chen ZongLi
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveTo explore the value of fecal calprotectin (FC) in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.MethodsFrom September 2021 to June 2024, 84 premature infants with NEC were selected as the NEC group, and 84 premature infants with feeding intolerance (feeding intolerance group) and 168 healthy premature infants (healthy group) were selected at the same time. ROC curves were used to analyze the value of FC in the early diagnosis and condition evaluation of NEC in premature infants, and Spearman correlations were used to analyze the relationships between FC and the occurrence and severity of NEC in premature infants.ResultsFC levels in the NEC group were greater than those in the feeding intolerance group and healthy group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the feeding intolerance group and the healthy group (P > 0.05). The FC level of premature infants with NEC III was greater than that of premature infants with NEC Ⅰ and Ⅱ, and the FC level of premature infants with NEC II was greater than that of premature infants with NEC Ⅰ (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that the best diagnostic values of FC for premature infants with NEC and their conditions were 8.40 μg/g and 53.50 μg/g, respectively, and the AUCs were 0.651 and 0.901, respectively, with sensitivities of 42.86% and 85.71%, specificities of 89.23% and 82.61%, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that FC was positively correlated with the occurrence and severity of NEC in premature infants (rs = 0.401, 0.853; P < 0.05).ConclusionThe level of FC in premature infants with NEC is abnormally high, and FC has high clinical value for early diagnosis and condition evaluation of premature infants with NEC, which is worthy of further investigation.
format Article
id doaj-art-e58241f39aa04c2fa492ea84498198f2
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-2360
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-e58241f39aa04c2fa492ea84498198f22025-08-20T03:30:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602025-07-011310.3389/fped.2025.15984481598448Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infantsChen ZongLiLuo KeYongJiang LiangObjectiveTo explore the value of fecal calprotectin (FC) in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.MethodsFrom September 2021 to June 2024, 84 premature infants with NEC were selected as the NEC group, and 84 premature infants with feeding intolerance (feeding intolerance group) and 168 healthy premature infants (healthy group) were selected at the same time. ROC curves were used to analyze the value of FC in the early diagnosis and condition evaluation of NEC in premature infants, and Spearman correlations were used to analyze the relationships between FC and the occurrence and severity of NEC in premature infants.ResultsFC levels in the NEC group were greater than those in the feeding intolerance group and healthy group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the feeding intolerance group and the healthy group (P > 0.05). The FC level of premature infants with NEC III was greater than that of premature infants with NEC Ⅰ and Ⅱ, and the FC level of premature infants with NEC II was greater than that of premature infants with NEC Ⅰ (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that the best diagnostic values of FC for premature infants with NEC and their conditions were 8.40 μg/g and 53.50 μg/g, respectively, and the AUCs were 0.651 and 0.901, respectively, with sensitivities of 42.86% and 85.71%, specificities of 89.23% and 82.61%, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that FC was positively correlated with the occurrence and severity of NEC in premature infants (rs = 0.401, 0.853; P < 0.05).ConclusionThe level of FC in premature infants with NEC is abnormally high, and FC has high clinical value for early diagnosis and condition evaluation of premature infants with NEC, which is worthy of further investigation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1598448/fullpremature infantsnecrotizing enterocolitisfecal calprotectinearly diagnosisdisease assessmentassessment
spellingShingle Chen ZongLi
Luo KeYong
Jiang Liang
Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
Frontiers in Pediatrics
premature infants
necrotizing enterocolitis
fecal calprotectin
early diagnosis
disease assessment
assessment
title Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
title_full Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
title_fullStr Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
title_full_unstemmed Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
title_short Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
title_sort value of single center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants
topic premature infants
necrotizing enterocolitis
fecal calprotectin
early diagnosis
disease assessment
assessment
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1598448/full
work_keys_str_mv AT chenzongli valueofsinglecenterfecalcalprotectinintheearlydiagnosisandassessmentofnecrotizingenterocolitisinprematureinfants
AT luokeyong valueofsinglecenterfecalcalprotectinintheearlydiagnosisandassessmentofnecrotizingenterocolitisinprematureinfants
AT jiangliang valueofsinglecenterfecalcalprotectinintheearlydiagnosisandassessmentofnecrotizingenterocolitisinprematureinfants