Procalcitonin: A Reliable Marker for the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis

Objective(s) In the last few years, serum procalcitonin has been proposed as an early marker of infections in neonates, with varying results. In this study, we aimed to investigate the value of procalcitonin, and C- reactive protein in establishing the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Materials and Methods Blood samples were collected at admission from ۶۹ neonates with suspected infection (admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Units at Alzahra and Dr Beheshti Hospital in Isfahan and Fatema-Zahra in Najafabad from May ۲۰۰۵ to April ۲۰۰۶). Patients were categorized in different groups according to clinical symptoms of sepsis, bacteriological and laboratory results. Group I consisted of ۲۰ newborns with positive blood cultures and other biological tests which suggested infection. Group II consisted of ۴۹ neonates with negative blood cultures but had two or three of clinical signs of sepsis. The control group included ۱۸ healthy neonates with physiological hyperbilirubinemia and no clinical and biological data of infection, referred to the hospital for bilirubin determination. Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined by immunoluminometric assay and nephlometry method respectively. Results Mean levels of procalcitonin and CRP in septic neonates (group I) were significantly higher than the other two groups (P< ۰.۰۰۵). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were determined for all markers and compared with each other. Conclusion We conclude that procalcitonin is a better marker than CRP in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Keywords:

C-reactive protein , Neonatal sepsis , Procalcitonin