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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
A Neonatal BALB/c Mouse Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Published on: November 30, 2021
Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein levels in Necrotizing Enterocolitis correlate with extent of necrotic bowel:
F H Heida1, J B F Hulscher1, M Schurink1
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
Background:
Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) is considered as a specific marker for enterocyte damage in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma and urinary I-FABP levels with the extent of macroscopic intestinal necrosis in surgical NEC.
Methods:
We combined data from prospective trials from two large academic pediatric surgical centers. Nine and 10 infants with surgical NEC were included, respectively. Plasma and urinary of I-FABP at disease onset were correlated with the length of intestinal resection during laparotomy.
Results:
Median length of bowel resection was 10cm (range 2.5-50) and 17cm (range 0-51), respectively. Median I-FABP levels were 53ng/mL (range 6.3-370) and 4.2ng/mL (range 1.1-15.4) in plasma in cohort 1 respectively cohort 2 and 611ng/mL (range 3-23,336) in urine. The length of bowel resection significantly correlated with I-FABP levels in plasma (Rho 0.68; p=0.04 and Rho 0.66;p=0.04) and in urine (Rho 0.92; p=0.001).
Conclusion:
This 'proof of concept' study demonstrates that plasma and urine I-FABP levels at disease onset was strongly associated with the length of intestinal resection in surgical NEC. This offers further evidence that I-FABP levels are a promising biomarker for assessing intestinal necrosis in infants with advanced NEC.
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