Emerging Tools and Biomarker Approaches to Understand and Diagnose Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal disease primarily affecting preterm infants and is associated with a high mortality and long-term morbidity. Despite decades of research, NEC pathogenesis remains incompletely understood, and early diagnosis is challenging. NEC is a multifactorial disease arising from a complex interplay of factors, including impaired intestinal barrier function, dysregulated immune response, microbial dysbiosis, and a range of antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal exposures. Diagnosis primarily relies on clinical assessment and radiography. This article reviews emerging tools that aim to detect NEC earlier and more accurately.