Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) yet remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. The
developmental deficiency of transforming growth factor-Beta (TGF-) in the intestine is a risk factor for NEC in premature
infants.We aimed to investigate the potential utility of serum TGF-1 in the early diagnosis and severity assessment of NEC.
This prospective case-control study was conducted on 102 VLBW neonates aging less than 32 weeks and weighing less
than 1500 gm. They were divided into NEC group of 52 preterm neonates with symptoms and signs of NEC and 50 age
and sex-matched neonates without NEC as a control group. All neonates underwent full medical history taking, clinical
examination, radiological and laboratory investigations including CBC, CRP, fecal occult blood, and serum TGF-1. Serum
TGF-1 was tested in NEC patients at the onset of symptoms and signs and 7 days later. Serum TGF-1 was significantly
lower in NEC patients at the onset of symptoms than the control group (P = 0.004) while after 7 days of onset serum TGF-1
was significantly higher than at the onset of symptoms (P < 0.001). In NEC patients with stage I, TGF-1 was significantly
higher than in NEC patients with stage ≥II (P = 0.027).In conclusion serum TGF-1 is downregulated in neonatal necrotizing
enterocolitis and can be used as a useful biomarker for early diagnosis of NEC and to assess disease severity. |
