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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
A Neonatal BALB/c Mouse Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Published on: November 30, 2021
[Combination of Excessive Weight Gain and Interleukin-8: A Possible Predictor of Necrotising Enterocolitis in
F Neunhoeffer1, H Jansen2, R Goelz2
1Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Tübingen Abteilung II: Kardiologie, Intensivmedizin, Pulmologie.
Background:
Weight gain before the clinical diagnosis of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is described as a predictive factor.
Hypothesis:
Weight gain of more than 5% one day prior to clinical suspicion plus increase of plasma Iinterleukin-8 (IL-8) are predictive for NEC.
Methods:
48 infants with diagnosis of NEC stage II and III were enrolled in a case-control study. Oral and parenteral nutrition, diuresis and kinetics of weight and of IL-8 were documented.
Results:
31 infants with NEC-II and 17 infants with NEC-III were enrolled. Weight gain>5% occurred in 35.3% of NEC-III, in 0% of NEC-II and in 4.2% of the control group. IL-8 increased significantly [NEC-III (6 561.4 pg/mL) vs. NEC-II: (326.7 pg/mL) vs. control group (38.9 pg/mL); p<0.05]. Sensitivity of IL-8 in NEC-II was 87.10% (70.15-96.25) and in NEC-III 100.00% (80.33-100.00). Sensitivity of weight gain was 0.00% (0.00-11.32) in NEC-II and 35.29% (14.30-61.65) in NEC-III.
Conclusion:
Weight gain>5% was found in only 35.3% of the cases with NEC-III. Combination of weight gain and IL-8 did not improve the diagnosis of NEC.
