الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 216 |  |  |
| | | from | 216 | | |
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe, inflammatory disease of the
gut predominantly afflicting preterm neonates. The diagnosis of NEC can be
challenging, especially in the early phases of the disease when the clinical
presentation can, at times, be indistinguishable from other gastrointestinal
disorders and/or generalized sepsis.
Calprotectin is a calcium- and zinc-binding cytosolic protein of
neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. In response to infectious or
inflammatory processes, calprotectin is released from activated leucocytes via
degranulation and can be detected in stool. Being non-invasive, stable for one
week at room temperature and for 6 months at –20°C without any significant
degradation and evenly distributed through the feces, fecal calprotectin became
a interestingly studied as biomarker of intestinal inflammation.
Hence, the aim of this study was to explore the role of fecal calprotectin
(FCP) as a noninvasive marker of gastrointestinal injury in preterm infants in
order to detect its usefulness in diagnosis of NEC. Furthermore, to evaluate
usefulness of FCP to predict NEC severity.
This prospective cohort study was carried on thirty eight preterm infants
who were recruited from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Benha
University Hospital, from June 2014 to Dec 2015.