Significance of dynamic evolution of TNF-α, IL-6 and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein levels in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

To study the significance of dynamic evolution of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) levels in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). A total of 45 NEC child patients, 45 non-NEC child patients and 45 healthy newborns were enrolled. After the day age, weight, gestational week and delivery mode were matched, the serum TNF-α, IL-6 and I-FABP levels at 6, 24 and 72 h after admission were measured via ELISA method, and their correlations with prognosis were analyzed. The levels of serum TNF-α and IL-6 in NEC and non-NEC group reached the peak at 24 h and fell at 72 h; there were no differences in each time point between the two groups (P>0.05), but the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-6 were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The level of serum I-FABP in NEC and non-NEC group reached the peak at 6 h, and it fell at 72 h in NEC group and 24 h in non-NEC group; the level of I-FABP in each time point in NEC was significantly higher than that in non-NEC group, and the level was the lowest in healthy group; the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There were 40 cases of survival and 5 cases of death (11.1%) in NEC group, while there were 43 cases of survival and 2 cases of death (4.4%) in non-NEC group. There were no differences in serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels at different times between surviving child patients and dead child patients in NEC group (P>0.05), but the levels of serum I-FABP in surviving child patients at 6 h and 24 h were significantly lower than those in dead child patients (P<0.05), and there was no difference at 72 h (P>0.05). There were no differences in serum TNF-α, IL-6 and I-FABP levels at different times between surviving and dead child patients in non-NEC group (P>0.05). Serum I-FABP level and its dynamic evolution may be important indexes of early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of NEC.