Cord blood epidermal growth factor as a possible predictor of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels in cord blood as a possible marker for predicting the subsequent development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A total of 241 VLBW infants (38 infants developed NEC and 203 had no NEC) were enrolled. EGF concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

VLBW infants who subsequently developed NEC had significantly lower cord serum concentrations of EGF than those who did not (p < 0.0001). Moreover, cord blood concentrations of EGF were significantly lower in infants with stage III than those with stage II or I NEC (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low cord blood EGF was independently associated with the subsequent risk of NEC (OR = 0.978 [95% CI: 0.959-0.997]; p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Low cord blood EGF concentrations may predict the subsequent development of NEC in VLBW infants.