Cord blood intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) in full-term intrauterine growth restricted pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively investigate cord blood concentrations of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein-[I-FABP, a useful marker in the early detection of necrotizing enterocolitis-(NEC)] in full-term intrauterine-growth-restricted-(IUGR, associated with NEC, regardless of gestational age) and appropriate-for-gestational-age-(AGA) pregnancies. We also aimed to determine cord blood I-FABP concentrations in IUGR cases with abnormal versus normal antenatal Doppler results and investigate a possible association with feeding intolerance or NEC.

METHODS

I-FABP concentrations were determined by ELISA in 154 mixed arteriovenous cord blood samples from IUGR (n = 50) and AGA (n = 104) singleton full-term infants.

RESULTS

Cord blood I-FABP concentrations did not differ between IUGR and AGA groups, as well as between IUGR infants with normal versus abnormal(however, lacking absent/ reversed end-diastolic umbilical artery flow) antenatal Doppler results. No infant presented with feeding intolerance or NEC. Customized centiles were lower in IUGR infants with abnormal versus normal antenatal Doppler results (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Full-term IUGR infants present with normal cord blood I-FABP concentrations and do not seem to be at higher risk for developing feeding intolerance or NEC, including those with compromised fetal perfusion.