Study of biochemical markers in newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis

Aim. To study the level of biochemical markers to optimize the diagnosis and prognosis of necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns. Methods. 110 newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis were observed in the intensive care unit at the age of 1 to 28 days. According to the stages of necrotizing enterocolitis, all examined newborns were divided into three groups. Group 1 consisted of 49 newborns (40.5%) with necrotizing enterocolitis stage I, group 2 included 48 newborns (39.7%) with necrotizing enterocolitis stage II and group 3 included 13 newborns (10.7%) with necrotizing enterocolitis stage III. In 40 newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis, matrix metalloproteinase-2, -9, -17, cathelicidin, transferrin in the blood and fecal calprotectin in the feces were measured by ELISA. Results. Comparative analysis demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase-2 was increased in newborns from group 1 by 6.9 times, in group 2 - by 8.3 times and in group 3 - by 10.7 times. Similarly, the level of metalloproteinase-9 was increased in group 1 by 3 times, in group 2 by 3.4 times, and in group 3 by 4.5 times compared to the newborns from the control group. The concentration of metalloproteinase-17 in newborns from groups 1 and 2 was almost the same and increased on average by 2.5 times, and by 3.6 times in group 3 compared to the control. In examined newborns, the highest level of cathelicidin and lowest level of transferrin were observed in necrotizing enterocolitis stage III, which indicates the more severe course of the disease and may be a predictor of changes in treatment tactics. So, taking into account the diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin (75%), it can be used as a noninvasive marker of inflammation in the intestine. Conclusion. The established changes in the level of biochemical markers (metalloproteinases, cathelicidin and transferrin in the blood and fecal calprotectin in feces) have diagnostic and prognostic value in the diagnosis, prediction of outcomes and optimization of treatment tactics of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal practice