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Increased cell migration in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is due to the presence of more active pyrin inflammasomes, as shown in a study of wound healing in patients with FMF. See article by Akbaba et al. on page 1399.
The persistent impact of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on neonatal morbidity and mortality occurs in part from of a lack of a clear understanding of how NEC risk factors can lead to disease development. Blood transfusions have been linked to NEC development, although controversy exists regarding the relative contributions of the transfused blood versus the anemia that initiated the transfusion. In addressing this controversy, Kalteren et al. have now compared 36 anemic and non-anemic infants at various time points prior to blood transfusion. They reveal that anemia is linked to sub-clinical intestinal inflammation, as revealed by the expression of intestinal fatty acid binding protein in the urine. In seeking to understand the mechanisms involved, Kalteren et al. also show that anemia corelated with impaired intestinal oxygenation, a factor that could drive the intestinal injury. The current study thus suggests that anemia may be a risk factor for NEC development through its effects on impaired tissue oxygenation, thus switching the focus back onto the trigger for the blood transfusion as opposed to the transfused blood itself. Studies such as these enhance our understanding of the factors leading to NEC, and bring us closer to the ultimate goal of eliminating this devastating disease.