Serum Cytosolic β-Glucosidase Levels In Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis

This study was conducted to compare serum Cytosolic β-Glucosidase (CBG) levels of age-matched control patients with those of infants with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), to determine eventual association between Serum Cytosolic β-Glucosidase levels with intensity of the disease in NEC infants.

82 neonates were divided into controls (group I, n=41), feeding intolerance (group II, n=15), and NEC (group III, n=26). Serum Cytosolic β-Glucosidase was measured at the onset of feeding intolerance or NEC and at weeks 2-3 in control infants (Group I) by ELISA. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and Student t-test.

Median birth weights in three groups were 1761.3, 1951.9, 1893.7 g, median gestational ages were 33.6, 35.0 and 34.5 weeks and ages of sampling were 15.3, 14.7 and 15.1 days, respectively. The differences between NEC group, feeding intolerance group and the control group were not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was a trend toward an increase in Serum CBG levels (group I 36.5 nmmol/L), group II (112.4 nmmol/L) vs. group III (693.0 nmmol/L), (χ(2)=43.296, P<0.01). Infants in group III had highest CBG levels, compared with group II and I.

Serum CBG is elevated in NEC, maybe NEC is the reason of high level of Serum CBG. In addition, the serum CBG may have utility as an early marker of ischemia in patients at risk for NEC in future studies.