Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor as a marker for neonatal sepsis

ABSTRACT

To evaluate Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor [GM-CSF] as an early marker of neonatal sepsis. forty-five newborn infants of varying gestational age were included in the study. Thirty-five neonates with suspected sepsis [group I] were classified according to the results of blood culture into subgroup Ia 17 infants with positive blood culture and subgroup Ib 18 infants with negative culture. Ten healthy neonates served as control group [group II]. The GM-CSF level was measured in all the studied subjects. Comparison of mean GM-CSF levels by group was accomplished by an analysis of variance. the mean GM-CSF levels in subgroup Ia was significantly higher than that of subgroup Ib and II. The mean GM-CSF level in subgroup Ib was significantly higher than that in group II. The mean GM-CSF level was 45.76 pg/ml in subgroup Ia, 22.81 pg/ml in subgroup Ib and 6.40 pg/ml in group II [P<0.0001]. The GM-CSF level was positively correlated with the immature or band cell/total neutrophil ratio in subgroup Ia. GM-CSF level represents a reliable early marker for neonatal infection