ABSTRACT
Fifty clinically suspected cases of neonatal septicemia were studied for evaluating the role of sepsis screen. Sensitivity and specificity of C-reactive protein test, micro-ESR, gastric aspirate cytology for polymorphs and toxic granules in neutrophils were studied singly and in combinations of two and three tests. Positive blood culture was obtained in only 20% cases, thereby underlying the need for a sepsis screen in the diagnosis of neonatal septicemia, especially in areas where adequate micro-biological facilities are lacking.
Subject(s)
Bacteremia/blood , Blood/microbiology , Blood Sedimentation , C-Reactive Protein/analysis , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Serial estimation of CRP and m-ESR was done in 65 clinically suspected cases of septicemia and 25 healthy controls. Of these 65, 12 (18%) had a negative CRP test at the time of diagnosis and rest all had significantly elevated CRP and m-ESR compared to matched controls at the time of diagnosis. A persistently negative CRP test indicated bad prognosis. With treatment a declining trend of CRP was seen in survivors, but in deteriorating/expired babies the levels kept on increasing. However, m-ESR had no prognostic significance.