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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

A Novel Human Epithelial Enteroid Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Published on: April 10, 2019
Role of platelet-activating factor in the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis
1Birmingham Women's Hospital and University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. a.k.ewer@bham.ac.uk
Unlabelled:
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal illness that affects predominantly preterm infants. Treatment options are limited and NEC remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The precise aetiology of NEC remains unclear but evidence strongly suggests that the cause is multifactorial and there are four main aetiological factors: prematurity, hypoxia, enteral feeding and bacterial colonization. The presence of similar intestinal lesions, regardless of aetiological trigger, strongly implicates a final common pathway in the pathogenesis. There is now a substantial body of evidence to indicate that endogenous inflammatory mediators, particularly platelet-activating factor (PAF), play a vital role in this final pathway.
Conclusion:
The use of agents that antagonize PAF may provide therapeutic options in the management of NEC.
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