Considering that AF promotes the development of a healthy GIT and has a similar composition to BM, including the presence of EGF, TGF-β, IGF-1, IGF-2, interleukins (ILs), lactoferrin and immunoglobulins (Figure 1), it has been hypothesized that AF and its derivatives may limit the development of NEC (13, 19). Here, IGF1 is linked to atrial fibrillation.