A K Ewer1. 1. Birmingham Women's Hospital and University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. a.k.ewer@bham.ac.uk
Abstract
UNLABELLED: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal illness that affects predominantly preterm infants. Treatment options are limited and NEC remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The precise aetiology of NEC remains unclear but evidence strongly suggests that the cause is multifactorial and there are four main aetiological factors: prematurity, hypoxia, enteral feeding and bacterial colonization. The presence of similar intestinal lesions, regardless of aetiological trigger, strongly implicates a final common pathway in the pathogenesis. There is now a substantial body of evidence to indicate that endogenous inflammatory mediators, particularly platelet-activating factor (PAF), play a vital role in this final pathway. CONCLUSION: The use of agents that antagonize PAF may provide therapeutic options in the management of NEC.
UNLABELLED: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal illness that affects predominantly preterm infants. Treatment options are limited and NEC remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The precise aetiology of NEC remains unclear but evidence strongly suggests that the cause is multifactorial and there are four main aetiological factors: prematurity, hypoxia, enteral feeding and bacterial colonization. The presence of similar intestinal lesions, regardless of aetiological trigger, strongly implicates a final common pathway in the pathogenesis. There is now a substantial body of evidence to indicate that endogenous inflammatory mediators, particularly platelet-activating factor (PAF), play a vital role in this final pathway. CONCLUSION: The use of agents that antagonize PAF may provide therapeutic options in the management of NEC.
Authors: Jun Wu; Ake Nilsson; Bo A G Jönsson; Hanna Stenstad; William Agace; Yajun Cheng; Rui-Dong Duan Journal: Biochem J Date: 2006-02-15 Impact factor: 3.857