Work

Sex and formula supplementation are correlates of fecal calprotectin in premature infants at 10–18 months corrected age

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Premature infants (PTI) risk gastrointestinal complications including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), impairing catch-up growth. Fecal calprotectin (FC) is an inflammation marker, but its long-term determinants in PTI remain unclear, and the atopic predisposition-FC association is unexplored. This study aimed to identify correlates of FC levels in PTI at 10-18 months corrected age (CA). It was hypothesized that birth weight, history of NEC, formula supplementation, length of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization, constipation, and atopic predisposition are associated with FC levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital between June and August 2024. FC was measured using a colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay. Values below the limit of detection were treated as left-censored and were handled by multiple imputation method after natural logarithmic transformation. Multiple linear regression with three parallel sensitivity models was performed to explore factors associated with FC levels. Results: A total of 109 PTI at 10-18 months CA were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. In fully adjusted models, females showing higher FC levels than males and PTI who received formula supplementation within 6 months CA exhibited lower FC levels than those who received it after 6 months CA. Length of NICU hospitalization showed marginal association in adjusted model but did not survive Bonferroni correction nor sensitivity analyses. Birth weight displayed consistent positive direction across models, albeit with minimal effect size. Conclusions: Sex and formula supplementation within 6 months CA were correlates of FC levels in PTI at 10-18 months CA. The association with NICU hospitalization appears suggestive and requires further validation.

Source: Frontiers in Pediatrics

DOI: 10.3389/fped.2026.1743276

Authors: Yaqi Liu, Yi Guo, Xiaoting Lu, Beiquan Li, Wenjing Chang, Kan Ye

Institutions: Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Infant Nutrition and Health

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801