Related Experiment Videos
High faecal calprotectin concentrations in newborn infants
F Campeotto1, M J Butel, N Kalach
1Hopital Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul, 82, Avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75674 Paris Cedex 14, France. florence.campeotto@noos.fr
Summary
Newborns have elevated fecal calprotectin levels in the first days of life, exceeding adult reference ranges. The mode of infant feeding, whether standard formula, prebiotic formula, or breast milk, did not significantly alter these concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Gastroenterology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Calprotectin is a key protein in neutrophil granulocytes.
- Elevated fecal calprotectin is indicative of inflammatory bowel disease in adults and children.
- Neonatal calprotectin levels are generally higher than in adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify fecal calprotectin concentrations in newborns.
- To establish reference values for neonatal fecal calprotectin.
- To investigate the impact of feeding method (standard formula, prebiotic formula, breast milk) on neonatal calprotectin levels.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 69 healthy, full-term newborns.
- Categorization into three feeding groups: standard formula, prebiotic formula, and breast milk.
- Fecal calprotectin analysis using enzyme-linked immunoassay on day 4 postpartum.
Main Results:
- Median fecal calprotectin concentration was 167 micro g/g, significantly higher than adult reference values (50 micro g/g).
- Only three infants had concentrations below the adult upper reference limit.
- No significant differences in calprotectin levels were observed based on the feeding method.
Conclusions:
- Neonates exhibit higher fecal calprotectin concentrations in early life compared to adults.
- The method of infant feeding does not appear to substantially influence these early-life calprotectin levels.