A combination of IL-8, IL-24, and CCL20 had best predictive values in distinguishing NEC and HC, NEC and sepsis, and different severities of NEC with corresponding AUCs of 0.909, 0.782, and 0.919, respectively, when the predictive values of the combinations of IL-8 and IL-24 with each of other biomarkers were assessed to facilitate clinical application (Fig. 3e–g). Here, IL24 is linked to Sepsis.