What are the cut-off levels for IL-6 and CRP in neonatal sepsis?

Comparison of the accuracy of hematological parameters in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Currently, there are hundreds of hematological parameters used for rapid diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, but there is no network meta-analysis to compare the diagnostic efficacy of these parameters.

METHODS

We searched for literature on the diagnostic neonatal sepsis and selected 20 of the most common parameters to compare their diagnostic efficacy. We used Bayesian network meta-analysis, Frequentist network meta-analysis, and individual traditional diagnostic meta-analysis to analyze the data and verify the stability of the results. Based on the above analysis, we ranked the diagnostic efficacy of 20 parameters and searched for the optimal indicator. We also conducted subgroup analysis based on different designs. GRADE was used to evaluate the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

311 articles were included in the analysis, of which 206 articles were included in the network meta-analysis. Bayesian models fond the top three of the advantage index were P-SEP, SAA, and CD64. In Individual model, P-SEP, SAA, and CD64 had the best sensitivity; ABC, SAA, and P-SEP had the best specificity. Frequentist model showed that CD64, P-SEP, and IL-10 ranked in the top three for sensitivity, while P-SEP, ABC, and I/M in specificity. Overall, P-SEP, SAA, CD64, and PCT have good sensitivity and specificity among all the three methods. The results of subgroup analysis were consistent with the overall analysis. All evidence was mostly of moderate or low quality.

CONCLUSIONS

P-SEP, SAA, CD64, and PCT have good diagnostic efficacy for neonatal sepsis. However, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

The Role of AGGF1 in the Classification and Evaluating Prognosis of Adult Septic Patients: An Observational Study

Purpose

Angiogenic factor with G patch and FHA domains 1 (AGGF1) is a crucial angiogenic factor that is involved in a variety of diseases and in the regulation of inflammatory responses. However, its role in sepsis is poorly understood. We have investigated the role of AGGF1 in the classification and prognostic evaluation of adult septic patients in a clinical context.

Patients and Methods

A total of 126 septic patients who visited the Emergency Department of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital and 76 non-sepsis patients visiting the Physical Examination Center of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital were enrolled. AGGF1 levels in plasma were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine correlations between plasma AGGF1 and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Acute Pathology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, procalcitonin and lactate. We evaluated the classification significance of AGGF1 in sepsis using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. We also assessed the predictive significance of AGGF1 for 28-day mortality in sepsis using ROC curves and Kaplan-Meier analyses.

Results

Plasma AGGF1 levels were higher in sepsis patients than in non-sepsis patients (P < 0.001). Among sepsis patients, plasma AGGF1 levels were higher in non-survivors than in survivors (P < 0.001). Increased plasma AGGF1 levels were positively correlated with SOFA score, APACHE II score, procalcitonin and lactate. Plasma AGGF1 levels could distinguish sepsis patients from non-sepsis patients (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.777). AGGF1 had a higher predictive value than SOFA score, APACHE II score, lactate, procalcitonin, and white blood cell count for 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis (AUC = 0.876). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that lower plasma AGGF1 levels were associated with lower 28-day mortality compared with higher plasma AGGF1 levels (log rank P < 0.001).

Conclusion

AGGF1 is useful for the classification and evaluating prognosis of adult septic patients.

Diagnostic Utility of Interleukin-6 in Early-Onset Sepsis among Term Newborns: Impact of Maternal Risk Factors and CRP Evaluation

(1) Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels act as an early infection marker preceding C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation. This study seeks to analyze IL-6 behavior in suspected early-onset sepsis (EOS) cases among term newborns, comparing it to that of CRP and evaluating IL-6's diagnostic utility. We also aim to assess the impact of maternal risk factors on EOS in term newborns, quantifying their influence for informed decision making. (2) Methods: The retrospective data analysis included 533 term newborns who were admitted to our hospital because of suspected EOS. IL-6, CRP, and the impact of maternal risk factors were analyzed in the context of EOS using binomial test, Chi-squared test, logistic and linear regression. (3) Results: In the cases of EOS, both IL-6 and CRP were elevated. The increase in CRP can be predicted by the initial increase in IL-6 levels. Among the assessed risk factors, intrapartum maternal fever (adjusted odds ratio 18.1; 95% CI (1.7-4.1)) was identified as the only risk factor significantly associated with EOS. (4) Conclusions: Employing IL-6 as an early infection marker enhanced EOS diagnostic precision due to its detectable early rise. However, caution is required, as elevations in IL-6 and CRP levels do not exclusively indicate EOS. Increased CRP levels in healthy newborns with maternal risk factors may be attributed to dynamics of vaginal labor.

Advancement in biomarker based effective diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

Neonatal sepsis is considered as alarming medical emergency and becomes the common global reason of neonatal mortality. Non-specific symptoms and limitations of conventional diagnostic methods for neonatal sepsis mandate fast and reliable method to diagnose disease for point of care application. Recently, disease specific biomarkers have gained interest for rapid diagnosis that led to the development of electrochemical biosensor with enhanced specificity, sensitivity, cost-effectiveness and user-friendliness. Other than conventional biomarker C-reactive protein to diagnose neonatal sepsis, several potential biomarkers including Procalcitonin (PCT), Serum amyloid A (SAA) and other candidates are extensively investigated. The present review provides insights on advancements and diagnostic abilities of protein and nucleotide based biomarkers with their incorporation in developing electrochemical biosensors by employing novel fabrication strategies. This review provides an overview of most promising biomarker and its capability for neonatal sepsis diagnosis to fulfil future demand to develop electrochemical biosensor for point-of-care applications.

Inflammatory Biomarker Profiles in Very Preterm Infants within the Context of Preeclampsia, Chorioamnionitis, and Clinically Diagnosed Postnatal Infection

Preterm delivery can be precipitated by preeclampsia or infection, and preterm infants are at heightened risk of postnatal infection. Little is known about the ontogeny of inflammatory biomarkers in extremely preterm infants. We hypothesized that suspected prenatal infection (clinical chorioamnionitis or spontaneous preterm labor) and clinically diagnosed postnatal infection would be associated with unique biomarker signatures, and those patterns would be influenced by the degree of prematurity. Venous blood was collected daily for the first week and weekly for up to 14 additional weeks from 142 neonates born at 22-32 weeks gestation. A custom array was utilized to measure monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were obtained from the electronic medical record. Independent of gestational age, MCP-1 was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in association with maternal preeclampsia, but MCP-1 was decreased (p < 0.01), and CRP was increased (p < 0.01) in the presence of chorioamnionitis with funisitis. IL-6 and CRP were both increased in infants diagnosed with postnatal infection, with peak levels observed on days 2 and 3, respectively. In conclusion, suspected prenatal and postnatal infections and non-infectious complications of pregnancy are associated with unique biomarker profiles, independent of gestational age, including over a 2-fold increase in MCP-1 among newborns of mothers with preeclampsia. Further, in those clinically diagnosed with a postnatal infection in the absence of antenatal infection concerns, IL-6 increases before CRP, emphasizing a potential role for expanded biomarker screening if antibiotics are initially avoided in infants delivered for maternal indications.

Biomarkers of Neonatal Sepsis: Where We Are and Where We Are Going

Neonatal sepsis is a bacterial bloodstream infection leading to severe clinical manifestations frequently associated with death or irreversible long-term deficits. Antibiotics are the drug of choice to treat sepsis, regardless of age. In neonates, the lack of reliable criteria for a definite diagnosis and the supposition that an early antibiotic administration could reduce sepsis development in children at risk have led to a relevant antibiotic overuse for both prevention and therapy. The availability of biomarkers of neonatal sepsis that could alert the physician to an early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis could improve the short and long-term outcomes of true sepsis cases and reduce the indiscriminate and deleterious use of preventive antibiotics. The main aim of this narrative review is to summarize the main results in this regard and to detail the accuracy of currently used biomarkers for the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Literature analysis showed that, despite intense research, the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and the conduct of antibiotic therapy cannot be at present decided on the basis of a single biomarker. Given the importance of the problem and the need to reduce the abuse of antibiotics, further studies are urgently required. However, instead of looking for new biomarkers, it seems easier and more productive to test combinations of two or more of the presently available biomarkers. Moreover, studies based on omics technologies should be strongly boosted. However, while waiting for new information, the use of the clinical scores prepared by some scientific institutions could be suggested. Based on maternal risk factors and infant clinical indicators, sepsis risk can be calculated, and a significant reduction in antibiotic consumption can be obtained.

Combining C-reactive protein and quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) to improve prognostic accuracy for sepsis and mortality in adult inpatients: A systematic review

Background and Aims

Infections are common in hospitals, and if mismanaged can develop into sepsis, a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. This study aimed to examine whether combining C-reactive protein (CRP) with the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) improves its accuracy for predicting mortality and sepsis in adult inpatients.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, CINAHL, Open Grey, Grey Literature Report, and the Clinical Trials registry were searched using CRP and qSOFA search terms. Title, abstract, and full-text screening were performed by two independent reviewers using pre-determined eligibility criteria, followed by data extraction and a risk of bias assessment using the Quality Assessment tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). Disagreements were settled through discussion and consultation with a third reviewer.

Results

Four retrospective studies with a total of 2070 patients were included in this review. Adding CRP to qSOFA improved the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve up to 9.7% for predicting mortality and by 14.9% for identifying sepsis. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined score for mortality prediction were available in two studies. CRP improved the sensitivity of qSOFA by 43% and 71% while only decreasing the specificity by 12% and 7%, respectively. A meta-analysis was not performed due to study heterogeneity.

Conclusion

This comprehensive review provided initial evidence that combining CRP with qSOFA may improve the accuracy of qSOFA alone in identifying sepsis or patients at risk of dying in hospital. The combined tool demonstrated the potential to improve patient outcomes, with implications for low-resource settings given its simplicity and low-cost.

On the Move-Sensitive Fluorescent Aptassay on Board Catalytic Micromotors for the Determination of Interleukin-6 in Ultra-Low Serum Volumes for Neonatal Sepsis Diagnostics

A graphene oxide/nickel/platinum nanoparticle micromotor (MM)-based fluorescent aptassay is proposed to determine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum samples from low-birth-weight infants (gestational age of less than 32 weeks and birthweight below 1000 g) with sepsis suspicion. In this kind of patients, IL-6 has demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of sepsis, both for early and late onset sepsis. The approach was based on the adsorption of the aptamer for IL-6 tagged with 6-FAM as a fluorescent label (Apt_IL-6, λ_em = 520 nm) on the graphene oxide external layer (MM_GO-Apt_IL-6) inducing fluorescence quenching (OFF state) and a subsequent on-the-move affinity recognition of IL-6 from Apt_IL-6 (IL-6-Apt_IL-6 complex) recovering the fluorescence (ON state). An aptamer against IL-6 was selected and developed by the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment technology. This approach displayed a suitable linear range of 0.07-1000 pg mL^-1 (r = 0.995) covering the cut-off and clinical practice levels, allowing direct determination without any dilution and simplifying the analysis as well as exhibiting an excellent sensitivity (LOD = 0.02 pg mL^-1) in ultralow volumes of diagnostic clinical samples (2 μL). A high agreement between IL-6 levels obtained from our MM-based approach and the method used by the Hospital was obtained (relative error < 3%). The MM-based aptassay is competitive in comparison with that of the Hospital, in terms of a significant reduction of the sample volume (15 times less) and enhanced sensitivity, employing similar analysis times. These results position MM technology with enough potential to achieve high sensitivities in low sample volumes, opening new avenues in diagnosis based on low sample volumes.

Elevated neutrophil - to - monocyte ratio as a prognostic marker for poor outcomes in neonatal sepsis

Objectives

Neonatal sepsis is one of the leading causes of neonatal death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of neutrophil - to - monocyte ratio (NMR) in predicting mortality in neonatal sepsis.

Methods

In this present retrospective study, a total of 134 neonates with sepsis were included. Baseline laboratory parameters were collected. The best cutoff value of NMR was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Univariate and multivariate analysis were carried out to survey the predict value of NMR.

Results

The results showed that NMR in non-survival group was significantly higher than that in survival group. Results from multivariate analysis showed that high NMR was an independent risk factor for neonatal sepsis (Hazard ratio (HR): 7.519, p = 0.001). ROC displayed that the area under curve (AUC) of NMR was 0.740, sensitivity and specificity of NMR were 80% and 65.8% when 7.65 was selected.

Conclusions

NMR could be a promising prognostic factor for neonatal sepsis.

Automated Complete Blood Cell Count Using Sysmex XN-9000® in the Diagnosis of Newborn Infection

The early identification of septically infected newborn infants is important for ensuring good outcomes. Blood cell differentiations are helpful, but they are often time consuming and inaccurate. In this study, we evaluated the use of automatic white blood cell differentiations by flow cytometry for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Episodes of suspected infection in neonates were retrospectively classified into two groups, unlikely infection (UI, levels of Interleukin-6 < 400 pg/mL or CRP within 48 h < 10 mg/L), n = 101 and probable infection (PI, Interleukin-6 ≥ 400 pg/mL or CRP within 48 h ≥ 10 mg/L), n = 98. Complete blood cell counts were performed by Sysmex XN-9000® using flow cytometry. Relative and absolute proportions of immature granulocytes were evaluated. Unexpectedly, the absolute count of immature granulocytes was significantly lower in the group of PI compared to UI neonates. Similar results were found when analysing the relative proportion of immature granulocytes among all neutrophil granulocytes. On the other hand, manually counted immature to total (I/T) ratios of granulocytes were higher in PI than in UI infants. Therefore, we conclude that differentiations of granulocytes by Sysmex XN-9000® can be used to distinguish between infected and uninfected neonates if the results are interpreted according to our findings. A low count of immature granulocytes as determined by Sysmex XN-9000® may indicate neonatal infection.

Validity of serum and urinary hepcidin as biomarkers for late-onset sepsis in premature infants

Background:

Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly among premature infants. Blood culture is the ‘gold standard’ for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis but is associated with several pitfalls.

Aim of the work:

We aim to evaluate the validity of measuring serum (S.Hep) and urinary hepcidin (U.Hep) concentrations as diagnostic biomarkers for late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants.

Patients and Methods:

The current case-control study included 73 cases of clinically and laboratory confirmed late-onset sepsis as the ‘case group’ and 50 nonseptic premature infants of comparable age and sex as the ‘control group’. S.Hep and U.Hep concentrations were evaluated at enrollment (acute sample) and after 1 week of treatment (convalescent sample).

Results:

Patients had a statistically significant higher concentration of both S.Hep and U.Hep as compared with nonseptic controls (p = 0.0001). Similarly, a significant reduction of both S.Hep and U.Hep was detected after 1 week of treatment (p = 0.001). A cut-off value of ⩾ 94.8 ng/ml of S.Hep and ⩾ 264 ng/mg of U.Hep/urinary creatinine showed high sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value in the diagnosis of neonatal LOS.

Conclusions:

Both S.Hep and U.Hep can function as promising accurate and rapid surrogate tests for the diagnosis of LOS. U.Hep measurement has the advantage of being noninvasive, with no hazards of phlebotomy, and is less variable throughout the day.

Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis: the past, present and future

Sepsis remains a significant cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Neonatal sepsis presents with nonspecific signs and symptoms that necessitate tests to confirm the diagnosis. Early and accurate diagnosis of infection will improve clinical outcomes and decrease the overuse of antibiotics. Current diagnostic methods rely on conventional culture methods, which is time-consuming, and may delay critical therapeutic decisions. Nonculture-based techniques including molecular methods and mass spectrometry may overcome some of the limitations seen with culture-based techniques. Biomarkers including hematological indices, cell adhesion molecules, interleukins, and acute-phase reactants have been used for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. In this review, we examine past and current microbiological techniques, hematological indices, and inflammatory biomarkers that may aid sepsis diagnosis. The search for an ideal biomarker that has adequate diagnostic accuracy early in sepsis is still ongoing. We discuss promising strategies for the future that are being developed and tested that may help us diagnose sepsis early and improve clinical outcomes. IMPACT: Reviews the clinical relevance of currently available diagnostic tests for sepsis. Summarizes the diagnostic accuracy of novel biomarkers for neonatal sepsis. Outlines future strategies including the use of omics technology, personalized medicine, and point of care tests.

Blood pressure changes during the first 24 hours of life and the association with the persistence of a patent ductus arteriosus and occurrence of intraventricular haemorrhage

Very low birthweight (VLBW) infants are at risk of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and delayed closure of ductus arteriosus. We investigated mean arterially recorded blood pressure (MAP) changes during the first day of life in VLBW infants as potential risk factors for a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and IVH. This retrospective cohort study exploring MAP changes during adaption and risk factors for a PDA and IVH comprised 844 VLBW infants admitted to the Helsinki University Children’s Hospital during 2005–2013. For each infant, we investigated 600 time-points of MAP recorded 4–24 hours after birth. Based on blood pressure patterns revealed by a data-driven method, we divided the infants into two groups. Group 1 (n = 327, mean birthweight = 1019 g, mean gestational age = 28 + ^1/7 weeks) consisted of infants whose mean MAP was lower at 18–24 hours than at 4–10 hours after birth. Group 2 (n = 517, mean birthweight = 1070 g, mean gestational age = 28 + ^5/7 weeks) included infants with a higher mean MAP at 18–24 hours than at 4–10 hours after birth. We used the group assignments, MAP, gestational age at birth, relative size for gestational age, surfactant administration, inotrope usage, invasive ventilation, presence of respiratory distress syndrome or sepsis, fluid intake, and administration of antenatal steroids to predict the occurrence of IVH and use of pharmacological or surgical therapy for a PDA before 42 weeks of gestational age. Infants whose mean MAP is lower at 18–24 hours than at 4–10 hours after birth are more likely to undergo surgical ligation of a PDA (odds ratio = 2.1; CI 1.14–3.89; p = 0.018) and to suffer from IVH (odds ratio = 1.83; CI 1.23–2.72; p = 0.003).

Evaluation of serum and salivary C-reactive protein for diagnosis of late-onset neonatal sepsis: A single center cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnostic utility of salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and its potential correlation with serum CRP levels in full-term neonates with late-onset sepsis (LOS).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 90 neonates assigned to three equal groups: culture proven LOS, clinical LOS and a control group. Clinical findings and routine laboratory data including complete blood pictures and blood culture results were documented. Highly sensitive serum CRP was measured according to hospital protocol, while salivary CRP levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The median serum CRP was significantly higher in septic neonates compared to controls (p < 0.001). For serum CRP, the optimum cut-off value for LOS diagnosis was found to be 7.2 mg/L with sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 91, 100, 100, and 85.7%, respectively. No significant difference was observed in levels of salivary CRP among the 3 study groups (p = 0.39). No correlation was found between the levels of salivary and serum CRP (r = 0.074, p = 0.49).

CONCLUSION

Serum CRP, at a cut-off value of 7.2 mg/L, exhibited a high specificity and positive predictive value in LOS diagnosis, whereas salivary CRP levels weren't significantly different between the 3 study groups nor did they predict abnormal serum CRP thresholds in newborns with sepsis.

Salivary Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein/Mean Platelet Volume Ratio in the Diagnosis of Late-Onset Neonatal Pneumonia

Neonatal pneumonia is a serious respiratory infectious disease with a high rate of case fatality in developing countries. Salivary cytokines could serve as interesting noninvasive markers in the diagnosis of neonatal pneumonia. The aim was to assess the diagnostic role of salivary and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein/mean platelet volume (CRP/MPV) ratio, and the combination of these markers in the diagnosis of late-onset neonatal pneumonia in full-term neonates. Seventy full-term neonates, 35 with late-onset neonatal pneumonia and 35 controls, were enrolled in this prospective case-control study. Complete blood count (CBC), salivary and serum IL-6, and CRP concentrations were measured for all the study subjects. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of salivary IL-6, serum IL-6, and CRP/MPV ratio for the diagnosis of late-onset neonatal pneumonia were determined. At the cutoff point of >34 pg/ml, salivary IL-6 showed 82.86% sensitivity and 91.43% specificity. CRP/MPV ratio showed a sensitivity of 97.14% and specificity of 85.71% at a cutoff value > 0.88. The combination of salivary IL-6 and CRP/MPV ratio improved the sensitivity and specificity to 100%. The current study shows for the first time that both salivary IL-6 and CRP/MPV ratio are suitable markers for the diagnosis of late-onset neonatal pneumonia in full-term neonates.

The Predictive Value of Interleukin-6 and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Severe and Extremely Severe Oral and Maxillofacial Space Infections

Objective

To investigate the correlation between clinical manifestation and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the patients with severe and extremely severe oral and maxillofacial space infection (OMSI).

Methods

In this retrospective study, we included 18 patients with severe and extremely severe OMSI from November 2012 to October 2018. Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the association between the number of complications and locations and the number and percentage of lymphocyte, leukocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, monocyte, CRP, and IL-6. A multivariable regression model was used to predict the number of complications and locations from these measures.

Results

IL-6 was positively correlated with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (r _s = 0.773, P = 0.005), percentage of neutrophil (r _s = 0.927, P = 0.001), and the number of neutrophil (r _s = 0.627, P = 0.039). It was negatively correlated with percentage of monocyte (r _s = -0.773, P = 0.005). CRP was positively correlated with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (r _s = 0.556, P = 0.020) and percentage of neutrophil (r _s = 0.515, P = 0.035). It was negatively correlated with the number of lymphocyte (r _s = -0.517, P = 0.017), percentage of lymphocyte (r _s = -0.578, P = 0.015), number of eosinophil (r _s = -0.560, P = 0.020), percentage of eosinophil (r _s = -0.504, P = 0.039), number of basophil (r _s = -0.504, P = 0.039), and percentage of basophil (r _s = -0.548, P = 0.023). The number of the involved organs was positively correlated with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (r _s = 0.511, P = 0.030). The number of complications was positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils (r = 0.738, P = 0.001), the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (r = 0.576, P = 0.012), IL-6 (r _s = 0.907, P = 0.001), and CRP (r _s = 0.599, P = 0.011). Multivariable regression analysis showed that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (β = 0.080) was a significant predictor of the number of the involved organs and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (β = 0.099). In addition, IL-6 (β = 0.002) was a significant predictor of the number of complications.

Conclusions

The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and IL-6 contributed to the assessment of general condition in severe and profound OMSI patients. These parameters can be used as predictors to evaluate the severity of OMSI.

The Diagnostic Performance of Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein for Early Identification of Neonatal Sepsis

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are being used for diagnosis of sepsis. However, studies have reported varying cut-off levels and diagnostic performance. This study aims to investigate the optimal cut-off levels and performance of IL-6 and CRP for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. The study was conducted at the University Hospital of Leipzig, Germany from November 2012 to June 2020. A total of 899 neonates: 104 culture proven sepsis, 160 clinical sepsis, and 625 controls were included. Blood culture was performed using BacT/ALERT 3D system. IL-6 and CRP were analyzed by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and immunoturbidimetric assay, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 statistical software. Among neonates with proven sepsis, the optimal cut-off value of IL-6 was 313.5 pg/mL. The optimal cut-off values for CRP in 5 days serial measurements (CRP1, CRP2, CRP3, CRP4, and CRP5) were 2.15 mg/L, 8.01 mg/L, 6.80 mg/L, 5.25 mg/L, and 3.72 mg/L, respectively. IL-6 showed 73.1% sensitivity, 80.2% specificity, 37.6% PPV, and 94.8% NPV. The highest performance of CRP was observed in the second day with 89.4% sensitivity, 97.3% specificity, 94.5% PPV, and 98.3% NPV. The combination of IL-6 and CRP showed increase in sensitivity with decrease in specificity. In conclusion, this study defines the optimal cut-off values for IL-6 and CRP. The combination of IL-6 and CRP demonstrated increased sensitivity. The CRP 2 at cut-off 8.01 mg/L showed the highest diagnostic performance for identification of culture negative clinical sepsis cases. We recommend the combination of IL-6 (≥313.5 pg/mL) and CRP1 (≥2.15 mg/L) or IL-6 (≥313.5 pg/mL) and CRP2 (≥8.01 mg/L) for early and accurate diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. The recommendation is based on increased sensitivity, that is, to minimize the risk of any missing cases of sepsis. The CRP2 alone at cut-off 8.01 mg/L might be used to identify clinical sepsis cases among culture negative sepsis suspected neonates in hospital settings.

Prognostic Value of Ionized Calcium Levels in Neonatal Sepsis

BACKGROUND

Despite recent advances in the treatment of neonatal infection, mortality rates and comorbidities associated with neonatal sepsis remain high. Hypocalcemia has been reported in critically ill patients, especially in as-sociation with sepsis. However, the importance of hypo-calcemia in neonatal sepsis has not been explored in detail.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of hypocalcemia in neonatal sepsis patients and to identify the risk factors associated with sepsis-related mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective study examined perinatal data from patients in a level IV neonatal in-tensive care unit between January 2010 and June 2016. Univariate analysis was performed to understand the differences in clinical and laboratory characteristics between patients with and without neonatal sepsis. Neonates with sepsis were further stratified as having ionized hypocalcemia (if serum ionized calcium [iCa] <1.0 mmol/L) or not. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to evaluate the predictive potential of iCa for identifying sepsis-related mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 472 neonates were enrolled in this study, including 169 neonates diagnosed with culture-proven sepsis and 303 neonates without infection (control group). The comparison of neonates with and without sepsis highlighted significant differences in levels of iCa (0.97 ± 0.26 vs. 1.12 ± 0.25 mmol/L), magnesium (0.75 ± 0.22 vs. 0.89 ± 0.12 mmol/L), and phosphate (2.26 ± 1.08 vs. 1.65 ± 0.85 mmol/L; all p < 0.001). When neonates with sepsis were stratified into 2 subgroups based on serum iCa, neonates with hypocalcemia showed higher rates of organ dysfunction than those with normal iCa, as well as higher rates of cardiovascular system dysfunction (37.35 vs. 17.44%), renal dysfunction (34.94 vs. 30.95%), disseminated intravascular coagulation (26.51 vs. 11.63%), and seizure (16.04 vs. 5.8%; all p < 0.05). Among all neonates who had sepsis, the mortality rate was 13.61%, and this rate was higher among neonates with hypocalcemia than among those with normal iCa (20.48 vs. 6.98%, p < 0.05). Uni- and multivariate analyses showed that acidosis, hypoalbuminemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia were independent prognostic markers of sepsis-related mortality. In receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the areas under the curve were 0.70 (95% CI 0.624-0.768; p = 0.0004), 0.74 (95% CI 0.671-0.808; p < 0.0001), 0.73 (95% CI 0.653-0.792; p = 0.0002), and 0.67 (95% CI 0.59-0.737; p = 0.0154) for serum albumin, iCa, phosphate, and acidosis, respectively. Based on these findings, we developed a nomogram to predict sepsis-related mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypocalcemia is common in neonates with sepsis and is significantly associated with organ dysfunction and sepsis-related mortality.

New Diagnostic Possibilities for Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis: Red Cell Distribution Width to Platelet Ratio

Aims: Red cell distribution width to platelet ratio (RPR) has been reported as a useful inflammatory marker and prognostic indicator of adult inflammatory diseases. In the present study, red cell distribution width (RDW) and RPR parameters, which are parts of a complete blood count analysis, were compared to the traditional C reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) parameters to investigate the potential to predict early onset sepsis (EOS) in neonates with or without positive blood cultures. Methods: An observational, retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate newborns born in our hospital. Results: RDW, RPR, CRP, PCT, Immature to total neutrophil ratio (I/T), and white blood cell (WBC) counts were higher in suspected and proven EOS compared to control group. Conclusion: We believe that RPR may be used in diagnosis of early onset neonatal sepsis and may be a good alternative to other tools as a readily available biomarker.

Neonatal Sepsis

Neonatal sepsis is associated with severe morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. Clinical manifestations range from subclinical infection to severe local or systemic infection. Neonatal sepsis is divided into three groups as early-onset neonatal sepsis, late-onset neonatal sepsis and very late-onset neonatal sepsis according to the time of the onset. It was observed that the incidence of early-onset neonatal sepsis decreased with intrapartum antibiotic treatment. However, the incidence of late-onset neonatal sepsis has increased with the increase in the survival rate of preterm and very low weight babies. The source of the causative pathogen may be acquisition from the intrauterine origin but may also acquisition from maternal flora, hospital or community. Prematurity, low birth weight, chorioamnionitis, premature prolonged rupture of membranes, resuscitation, low APGAR score, inability to breastfeed, prolonged hospital stay and invasive procedures are among the risk factors. This article reviews current information on the definition, classification, epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment of neonatal sepsis.

Combination of 16S rRNA and procalcitonin in diagnosis of neonatal clinically suspected sepsis

Objective

To investigate the application of 16S rRNA in diagnosing patients with neonatal sepsis.

Methods

We studied 60 consecutive neonatal patients with clinically suspected sepsis and 20 non-infective cases as controls. All patients were diagnosed with sepsis by clinical and experimental criteria. Clinical characteristics were recorded and 16S rRNA sequencing was conducted for all patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the detection methods were analyzed.

Results

The detection limit of 16S rRNA sequencing was 1 × 10² CFU/mL. For suspected sepsis, the positive rate of 16S rRNA detection was 93.3%, which was similar to that of procalcitonin detection (85%), and was significantly higher than that of bacterial culture (51.7%). The specificity of procalcitonin detection (74.1%) was significantly lower than that of 16S rRNA detection (100%). Moreover, the combination of 16S rRNA and procalcitonin detection showed a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 74.1%, and accuracy of 92.0%. For proven sepsis, the sensitivity and specificity of 16S rRNA detection were both 100.0%, and those for procalcitonin were 87.1% and 87.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

Detection of 16S rRNA has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing sepsis. The combination of 16S rRNA and procalcitonin has even better sensitivity with acceptable specificity.

Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio in Neonates: A Predictor of Early onset Neonatal Sepsis

Background

Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a common systemic disease that causes morbidity and mortality in newborns. But there is no ideal biomarker that can be used in the early diagnosis of NS. In recent studies, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported to play a critical role in the inflammatory process. In this study, we aimed to contribute to the research about whether or not PLR can be used as an early predictor of the diagnosis of NS.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted among the newborns born in İzmir Buca Maternity and Pediatric Hospital between March 2015–February 2016. During these twelve months, 611 neonates with Early-Onset Sepsis (EOS) were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit. One hundred and forty-nine neonates with suspected EOS, 67 neonates with proven EOS and 92 healthy neonates were enrolled in the study.

Results

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values of the three groups were calculated 56.5 ± 17.8 vs. 62.4± 14.9 vs. 15.3 ± 2.1, respectively. PLR values of suspected or proven EOS group were significantly higher than the control group. PLR has AUC 0.89 to 0.93, the cutoff value of 39.5 to 57.7, the sensitivity of 88.9% to 91.3% and specificity of 94.7% to 97.6%, the positive predictive value of 94.3% to 97.4%, and negative predictive value of 88.6% to 91.8% in suspected and proven sepsis diagnosis.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that PLR can be used as a parameter in the prediction of neonatal sepsis.

Accuracy of C-Reactive Protein Test for Neonatal Septicemia: A Diagnostic Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP) test in detecting neonatal septicemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Springer, MBASE, Elsevier Science Direct, and Medline databases up to March 2017. To collect relevant data on CRP testing in patients with neonatal septicemia, we performed a meta-analysis of positive likelihood ratio (LR), sensitivity, negative LR, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (dOR) of CRP testing, using Stata 12.0 and Meta-DiSc 1.4 data analysis software. RESULTS Ten studies including 1819 participants were considered in this study. We found that positive LR, sensitivity, negative LR, specificity, and dOR of the CRP test for neonatal septicemia were 5.63 (95% CI=2.86 to 11.09), 0.70 (95% CI=0.66 to 0.75), 0.36 (95% CI=0.21 to 0.60), 0.89 (95% CI=0.87 to 0.91), and 17.99 (95% CI=6.50 to 49.83), respectively. The AUC and Q* index of this meta-analysis were 0.90 and 0.83, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The area under the curve (AUC), negative LR, positive LR, Q* index, specificity, and dOR of the CRP test suggest that it is appropriate for detecting neonatal septicemia.

The value of delta neutrophil index in neonatal sepsis diagnosis, follow-up and mortality prediction

BACKGROUND

The complete blood cell count (CBC) and peripheral blood smear were the most commonly ordered tests for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Delta neutrophil index (DNI) shows leucocyte differentiation and calculated while CBC is performed.

AIMS

We aimed to evaluate the value of DNI in neonatal sepsis.

STUDY DESIGN

DNI was measured with Siemens Advia 2120 and 2120i devices. DNI was calculated as (neutrophil and eosinophil count in myeloperoxidase channel)-(polymorphonuclear leucocyte count in nuclear lobularity channel).

RESULTS

Study population included 141 and 87 neonates in sepsis (110 proven, 31 clinical) and control groups. Demographic characters were similar between groups. Proven sepsis group had lower birthweight and higher late-onset sepsis rate than clinical sepsis and control groups. Median DNI (16.3 vs 1,4) and CRP (6.8 vs 0,03 mg/dl) were significantly higher in sepsis group. Proven sepsis group had significantly higher DNI level than clinical sepsis group (20.8 vs 9.1). Cut-off level of DNI was 4.6 with 85% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Cut-off level of CRP was 0.58 mg/dl with 81% sensitivity and 82% specificity. Combination of DNI and CRP gave 98% sensitivity and 76% specificity. Mortality rate in sepsis group was 39%. Median DNI level in patients with mortality was significantly higher (30.1 vs 9.6). Cut-off level of DNI for mortality prediction was 16.1 with 75% sensitivity and 65% specificity. Follow-up levels of DNI was significantly decreased in 6-10 days to normal levels (16.3 to 4.2).

CONCLUSIONS

DNI was found to be useful in the diagnose, follow-up and mortality prediction of neonatal sepsis without extra blood to CBC.

Should therapeutic hypothermia be offered to babies with mild neonatal encephalopathy in the first 6 h after birth?

Infants with moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy (NE) benefit significantly from therapeutic hypothermia, with reduced risk of death or disability. However, the need for therapeutic hypothermia for infants with milder NE remains unclear. It has been suggested that these infants should not be offered therapeutic hypothermia as they may not be at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcome and that the balance of risk against potential benefit is unknown. Several key questions need to be answered including first, whether one can define NE in the first 6 h after birth so as to accurately distinguish infants with brain injury who may be at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental consequences. Second, will treatment of infants with mild NE with therapeutic hypothermia improve or even worsen neurological outcomes? Although alternate treatment protocols for mild NE may be feasible, the use of the current approach combined with rigorous avoidance of hyperthermia and initiation of hypothermia as early as possible after birth may promote optimal outcomes. Animal experimental data support the potential for greater benefit for mild HIE compared with moderate to severe HIE. This review will summarize current knowledge of mild NE and the challenges to a trial in this population.

Can Base Excess be Used for Prediction to Early Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis in Preterm Newborns?

Background

Neonatal sepsis remains an important and potentially life-threatening clinical syndrome and a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study to investigate whether values of base excess before the onset of clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis indicate infection in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Methods

In this study, a total of 118 infants were enrolled. The infants were classified into two groups: group 1 (sepsis, n=49) and group 2 (control, n=69). Blood gas analysis investigated for the screening of neonatal sepsis.

Results

A total of 49 newborns with neonatal sepsis and 69 healthy controls were enrolled. Comparison of markers of sepsis revealed C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 level to be significantly higher and pH, pCO₂, HCO_3, and base excess values to be significantly lower in newborns with sepsis compared healthy controls (p<0.01). The optimum cut-off value in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was found to be -5 mmol/L for base excess. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of this base excess cut-off for neonatal sepsis were 75, 91, 86 and 84% respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first study to determine the relationship between the decreased value of the base excess and early stage of neonatal sepsis. If the value of base excess <-5 mmol/L without an underlying another reason, may need close follow up of infants for neonatal sepsis and it may help early diagnosis.

A meta-analysis of interleukin-6 as a valid and accurate index in diagnosing early neonatal sepsis

We aimed to systematically assess the overall value of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in diagnosing neonates with sepsis. A systematic literature search was conducted using the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, to identify eligible studies through the index words updated till November 2018. Cross-sectional studies, as well as prospective cohort studies, were included in the above-mentioned group of eligible studies. We also searched the literature sources that had a link to the present study, which were further assessed by heterogeneity through the use of a proper-effects model to calculate pooled weighted specificity, sensitivity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). We also conducted summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) analyses for neonatal sepsis. In the present meta-analysis, there were 31 studies exploring IL-6 for the diagnostic accuracy of neonatal sepsis. The global specificity and sensitivity of IL-6 for neonatal sepsis were as follows: 88% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 83%-92%) and 82% (95% CI: 77%-86%), respectively. The global positive and negative likelihood ratio of IL-6 in diagnosing neonatal sepsis were 7.03 (95% CI: 4.81-10.26) and 0.20 (95% CI: 0.15-0.26), respectively. The global DOR was 29.54 (95%CI: 18.56-47.04) of IL-6. In addition, the area under the SROC was high for IL-6 (AUC = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.89-0.94). In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the diagnostic accuracy studies of IL-6 in diagnosing neonatal sepsis. Our results suggested that IL-6 is a valid and accurate index in diagnosing early neonatal sepsis, but it still needs to be combined with other laboratory tests and specific clinical manifestations.

C-reactive protein for diagnosing late-onset infection in newborn infants

BACKGROUND

Late-onset infection is the most common serious complication associated with hospital care for newborn infants. Because confirming the diagnosis by microbiological culture typically takes 24 to 48 hours, the serum level of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) measured as part of the initial investigation is used as an adjunctive rapid test to guide management in infants with suspected late-onset infection.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of serum CRP measurement in detecting late-onset infection in newborn infants.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Science Citation Index to September 2017), conference proceedings, previous reviews, and the reference lists of retrieved articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included cohort and cross-sectional studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of serum CRP levels for the detection of late-onset infection (occurring more than 72 hours after birth) in newborn infants.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed eligibility for inclusion, evaluated the methodological quality of included studies, and extracted data to estimate diagnostic accuracy using hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) models. We assessed heterogeneity by examining variability of study estimates and overlap of the 95% confidence interval (CI) in forest plots of sensitivity and specificity.

MAIN RESULTS

The search identified 20 studies (1615 infants). Most were small, single-centre, prospective cohort studies conducted in neonatal units in high- or middle-income countries since the late 1990s. Risk of bias in the included studies was generally low with independent assessment of index and reference tests. Most studies used a prespecified serum CRP threshold level as the definition of a 'positive' index test (typical cut-off level between 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L) and the culture of a pathogenic micro-organism from blood as the reference standard.At median specificity (0.74), sensitivity was 0.62 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.73). Heterogeneity was evident in the forest plots but it was not possible to conduct subgroup or meta-regression analyses by gestational ages, types of infection, or types of infecting micro-organism. Covariates for whether studies used a predefined threshold or not, and whether studies used a standard threshold of between 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L, were not statistically significant.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The serum CRP level at initial evaluation of an infant with suspected late-onset infection is unlikely to be considered sufficiently accurate to aid early diagnosis or select infants to undergo further investigation or treatment with antimicrobial therapy or other interventions.

Outcome of Infants with Therapeutic Hypothermia after Perinatal Asphyxia and Early-Onset Sepsis

BACKGROUND

Animal models suggest that neuroprotective effects of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) after perinatal asphyxia are reduced in infants with early-onset sepsis.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the outcome of infants with perinatal asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy, and TH in the presence of early-onset sepsis.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort of 1,084 infants with perinatal asphyxia and TH, the outcome of 42 infants (gestational age 36.1-42.6 weeks and birth weight 2,280-5,240 g) with proven sepsis (n = 14) and probable sepsis (n = 28) was analyzed. Death, cerebral palsy, or a delayed development at 2 years was considered an adverse outcome.

RESULTS

Sepsis was caused mostly by group B streptococci (n = 17), other Gram-positive bacteria (n = 5), and Candida albicans (n = 1). Of the 42 infants, 9 (21.4%) died, and 5 (11.9%) showed impairments on follow-up. The outcome is comparable to the previously reported outcome of infants with TH without early-onset sepsis.

CONCLUSION

A good outcome was reported in the majority of infants with perinatal asphyxia, TH, and early-onset sepsis. Cooling should not be withheld from these infants.

The cut-off levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein and the kinetics of mean platelet volume in preterm neonates with sepsis

Background

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among newborns. C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) have some limitations in the diagnosis of preterm neonatal sepsis. In this study, the cut-offs of PCT and CRP, and the efficacy of mean platelet volume (MPV) were investigated.

Methods

We identified key demographic details and compared laboratory values between preterm infants with early onset and late onset neonatal sepsis (EONS/LONS) retrospectively. Blood samples were collected within the first few hours of the onset of clinical sepsis (CRP 1, PCT 1, MPV 1) and were repeated after 24 h (CRP 2, PCT 2, MPV 2). The optimal cut-offs for CRP, PCT and MPV were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Furthermore, pairwise comparisons of ROC curves were made to evaluate the performances of these tests.

Results

In EONS, the cut-off of CRP 1 was 2.6 mg/L, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 80.6, 83.0, 67.5 and 90.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). At a PCT 1 cut-off of 1.1 ng/mL, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 78.6, 81.2, 64.7 and 89.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the CRP 1 cut-off of 3.6 mg/L for LONS were 78.3, 87.4, 74.8, and 89.4%, respectively. At a PCT 1 cut-off of 5.2 ng/mL, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 58.5, 95.5, 86.1, and 82.9% respectively. For proven sepsis, the cut-off of CRP 1 was 7.0 mg/L with a 76.5% sensitivity, 98.2% specificity, 94.9% PPV and 90.5% NPV (p < 0.001). At a PCT 1 cut-off of 1.36 ng/mL, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 90.8, 83.4, 70.6 and 94.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). In each subgroup, other than EONS, the performances of CRP 1 and PCT 1 measurements were found to be statistically higher than MPV 1. CRP 2 cut-off levels of LONS group and proven sepsis group were found to be lower than the initial values.

Conclusions

Optimal cut-off levels of CRP 1 and PCT 1 may differ in preterm sepsis subgroups. The diagnostic performances of CRP 1 and PCT 1 didn’t differ however, they were more efficacious than MPV.

Prognostic value of the biomarkers serum amyloid A and nitric oxide in patients with sepsis

OBJECTIVE

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality among critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Alterations in serum amyloid A (SAA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels have been associated with mortality in critically ill patients. In the present study, we investigated the predictive value of SAA and/or NO compared to traditional predictive markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score.

METHODS

100 adult patients with sepsis and 25 without sepsis were enrolled in a prospective, randomized study in our ICU. The APACHE II score was calculated, and their peripheral venous blood SAA, NO and CRP levels were evaluated on days 1, 3, and 7 after sepsis was diagnosed. The patients were sorted based on incidence of septic shock into septic shock (A) and non-septic shock (B) groups. Comparative analyses of altered levels of these indicators between the two groups were performed, and correlations between SAA, NO, and the more traditional APACHE II score were probed. Patients were sorted based on survival status into death (D) and survival (S) groups based on death endpoint within 28 days after admission.

RESULTS

We observed that the difference in APACHE II score, SAA and CRP levels were statistically significantly (p < 0.05) between groups A and B on days 1, 3 and 7 post-diagnosis, while inter-group NO level significantly differed (p < 0.05) on days 1 and 3 post-diagnosis, no apparent difference was observed on day 7 post-diagnosis. For groups D and S, SAA, CRP and NO levels significantly differed (p < 0.05) on days 3 and 7 post-diagnosis, with no apparent difference on day 1. APACHE II score was significantly different on day 7 (p < 0.05), however the difference on days 1 and 3 were non-significant. We also demonstrated a positive correlation between APACHE II scores, SAA levels on days 1, 3, and 7, as well as NO levels on days 1 and 3. In addition, for the D and S groups, SAA at all time points, NO on day 3 and CRP on day 7 positively correlated with increased death events.

CONCLUSION

The dynamic monitoring of SAA and NO serum levels with APACHE II scores better reflect the severity of sepsis than traditional indicators like CRP and may serve as independent prognosticators of sepsis in critically ill patients, shorten time to diagnosis confirmation and improve therapeutic decision-making.

The prognostic value of serum PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 in patients with sepsis

Objective

To evaluate the prognostic value of serum procalcitonin (PCT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with sepsis.

Methods

Sixty-six patients with sepsis were recruited in the 6th affiliated hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from February 2012 to April 2016. According to status of death or survival within 4 weeks, the patients were divided into death group (n=14) and survival group (n=52). The serum PCT concentration on the day of hospitalization was measured by double antibody immunosorbent assay, hs-CRP serum level was measured by immunoturbidimetric assay, and IL-6 serum concentration was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of the included 66 patients. Serum PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 were compared between the two groups. The prognostic performance of serum PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 in patients with sepsis was evaluated through sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC).

Results

The serum concentrations of PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 in the death group were significantly higher than those of the survival group on the day of hospitalization (P<0.05). The sensitivities of serum PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 to predict the mortality of septic patients within 4 weeks were 94.64%, 83.93%, and 82.14%, and the specificities were 73.33%, 64.29%, and 71.43%, respectively. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.88, 0.76, and 0.77.

Conclusion

The serum levels of PCT, hs-CRP and IL-6 were significantly elevated in the death group, which could be used as serological markers to predict the risk of death for sepsis patients within 4 weeks.

Hypothermia at neonatal intensive care unit admission was not associated with respiratory disease or death in very preterm infants

AIM

This study investigated the association between hypothermia and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or death in very preterm infants admitted to a Danish neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODS

We studied 675 infants born at Aalborg University Hospital before 32 weeks and admitted to the NICU from April 1997 to December 2011. Hypothermia was defined as a core temperature of <36.5°C on admission. The primary outcome was severe RDS or death within the first three days of life, and the secondary outcome was BPD or death before 36 postmenstrual weeks. The multivariable logistic regression was adjusted for early-onset infection, gestational age, Apgar score, sex, treatment year and birth weight.

RESULTS

Infants with hypothermia had a twofold increase (OR) in the odds for RDS or death (2.03), but the adjusted OR was not statistically significant (1.36). They also demonstrated a twofold increase (OR) in the odds for BPD or death (2.28), but again the adjusted OR was not statistically significant (1.03).

CONCLUSION

After adjusting for confounders, we found that the association between hypothermia on admission to the NICU and RDS or death, or BPD or death was statistically insignificant.

Management of early-onset neonatal sepsis differs in the north and south of Scandinavia

AIM

This study compared the management and outcomes of early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) in two tertiary neonatal units in Denmark and Norway.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied all infants diagnosed with EONS between April 2010 and March 2013 and managed at Odense University Hospital, Denmark, and the University Hospital of North Norway, Norway. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from patient records.

RESULTS

We identified 137 EONS cases in Denmark and 101 in Norway. There were 35 culture-confirmed EONS cases: 16% of the Danish cases and 13% of the Norwegian cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently detected pathogen in 11 cases (31%), followed by Group B streptococci in nine (26%) and Escherichia coli in six (17%). In 85% of the 238 cases, the empiric therapy comprised gentamicin and a beta-lactam, namely ampicillin in Denmark and benzylpenicillin in Norway. Patients with positive blood cultures had higher C-reactive protein levels than patients with negative blood cultures and higher sepsis-attributable mortality. Lumbar punctures were performed more frequently in Denmark.

CONCLUSION

There were marginal differences in the management of EONS between units in Denmark and Norway, mainly in their choice of antibiotics and the use of lumbar punctures. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen.

Biomarkers for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis: Clinical practice guidelines

Sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in neonates, especially in those born preterm. While therapeutic interventions are available for both (for e.g. antibiotics), a major dilemma is early diagnosis so that these interventions can be done in a timely manner. As clinical evaluation alone is unreliable in identifying infants in the early stages of neonatal sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis, there is a need to find specific biomarkers associated with these conditions to improve diagnostic capabilities. Optimal use of biomarkers in the identification and management of affected neonates requires an understanding of the properties of each marker within the timeline of the inflammatory response. We propose that early- and mid-phase markers such as neutrophil CD64 and procalcitonin should be combined with the late-phase biomarker C-reactive protein for maximal diagnostic benefit. Appropriately powered trials evaluating the serial measurements of these markers in decisions related to antibiotic stewardship in the neonatal population are indicated, in addition to more studies investigating other potentially useful biomarkers.

Dual-Quantum-Dots-Labeled Lateral Flow Strip Rapidly Quantifies Procalcitonin and C-reactive Protein

In the article, a dual-quantum-dots-labeled (dual-QDs-labeled) lateral flow strip (LFS) method was developed for the simultaneous and rapid quantitative detection of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. Two QD-antibody conjugates with different fluorescence emission spectra were produced and sprayed on the LFS to capture PCT and CRP in the blood. Furthermore, a double antibody sandwich method for PCT and, meanwhile, a competitive inhibition method for CRP were employed in the LFS. For PCT and CRP in serum assayed by the dual-QDs-labeled LFS, their detection sensitivities reached 0.1 and 1 ng/mL, respectively, and their linear quantitative detection ranges were from 0.3 to 200 ng/mL and from 50 to 250 μg/mL, respectively. There was little evidence that the PCT and CRP assays would be interfered with each other. The correlations for testing CRP and PCT in clinical samples were 99.75 and 97.02 %, respectively, between the dual-QDs-labeled LFS we developed and commercial methods. The rapid quantification of PCT and CRP on dual-QDs-labeled LFS is of great clinical value to distinguish inflammation, bacterial infection, or viral infection and to provide guidance for the use of antibiotics or other medicines.

Procalcitonina como marcador de sepsis en niños

<p>Introducción. La procalcitonina es un biomarcador de infección bacteriana severa y sepsis, con aplicación diagnóstica, para severidad y pronóstico, el cual muestra valores de sensibilidad, especificidad y puntos de corte variables en niños. Materiales y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo. Se incluyeron niños de 7 días a 18 años, a quienes se les tomó procalcitonina y cultivo el mismo día. Se evaluaron otros biomarcadores como proteína C reactiva y los datos se tomaron de la historia clínica por medio de un formulario. Resultados. Se incluyeron 274 muestras de procalcitonina y cultivos, correspondientes a 162 pacientes con edad promedio de 1.5 años —59% masculinos—. De los 274 cultivos, el 81% fueron hemocultivos, siendo positivos el 17%. La procalcitonina con punto de corte >0.5ng/ml mostró sensibilidad de 76%, especificidad de 46%, VPP de 23% y VPN de 90% para sepsis, con AUC 0.6899 (IC95%: 0.6059-0.774). Se encontró de forma estadísticamente significativa que a mayor valor de procalcitonina mayor mortalidad (p=0.003). La procalcitonina mostró mejor rendimiento que los otros biomarcadores para predecir sepsis. Conclusión. La procalcitonina tiene un buen rendimiento diagnóstico como marcador de sepsis en niños —con mayor utilidad cuando toma valores negativos— y buen valor pronóstico al relacionarse con mortalidad.</p>

Detection of Serum Interleukin-6/10/18 Levels in Sepsis and Its Clinical Significance

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical significance of serum levels of IL-6/10/18 in sepsis.

METHODS

Sixty-six patients with sepsis were selected to be the case group. Additionally, 42 healthy adults were selected to be the control group. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of IL-6/10/18, and ROC was utilized to evaluate the diagnostic values of IL-6/10/18 in sepsis.

RESULTS

The heart rate, respiratory rate, WBC count and APACHE II score in the sepsis group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and these indexes were increased in turn in the mild sepsis group, severe sepsis group, and septic shock group (all P < 0.05 after correction). The serum IL-6/18 levels in sepsis patients were significantly higher than those in the control group, and both of the levels were increased in turn in the mild sepsis group, severe sepsis group, and septic shock group (both P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found in serum IL-10 level between groups (P > 0.05). The cut-off points of IL-6 and IL-18 were 109.19 pg/ml (sensitivity: 94.4%; specificity: 83.3%) and 116.01 pg/ml (sensitivity: 77.8%; specificity: 83.3%), respectively. Serum IL-6 levels were positively correlated with the APACHE II score and heart rate (both P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Serum levels of IL-6/8 are up-regulated in sepsis patients. Additionally, IL-6 has a greater sensitivity than IL-18. Serum IL-6 levels were positively correlated with the APACHE II score and heart rate, indicating that IL-6 could be used as a potential biomarker for sepsis.

Diagnostic value of C-reactive protein in neonatal sepsis: A meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to determine the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of patients with neonatal sepsis by a meta-analysis. Potential relevant studies were searched through the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases before February 2016. We combined estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of CRP for neonatal sepsis diagnosis. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was applied to evaluate the diagnostic value of CRP. The meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed when heterogeneity was significant. In total, 31 studies were included in our meta-analysis with 5698 participants. The overall estimates for CRP in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis were: sensitivity 0.69 (95% CI, 0.66–0.71), specificity 0.77 (95% CI, 0.76–0.78), PLR 3.83 (95% CI, 3.03–4.84), NLR 0.38 (95% CI, 0.31–0.45), and DOR 12.65 (95% CI, 8.91–17.94). The area under the curve (AUC) and Q* index were 0.8458 and 0.7773. Meta-regression analysis showed that heterogeneity was irrelevant to test time, cutoff value, assay method of CRP, neonates, and sepsis type. Heterogeneity still existed but decreased after subgroup analysis. CRP might be a valuable approach for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Efficacy of new leukocyte parameters versus serum C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6 in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy of the new leukocyte parameters mean neutrophil and monocyte volume (MNV, MMV), conductivity (MNC, MMC), scattering (MNS, MMS) and volume distribution width (NDW, MDW) with serum C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PC) and interleukin (IL)-6 in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

METHODS

A total of 227 newborns (132 boys, 95 girls) were analyzed. There were 116 infants in the sepsis group (proven sepsis, n = 40; clinical sepsis, n = 76) and 111 in the control group. Venous blood samples were collected from infants at the time of diagnosis and complete blood count, peripheral blood smear, blood cultures, CRP, PC, IL-6 and MNV, MMV, MNC, MMC, MNS, MMS, NDW, and MDW were analyzed.

RESULTS

MNV, NDW, MMV and, MDW were higher in infants with sepsis than in controls (P < 0.05 for all). MNS was lower in the patients with sepsis (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference between the sepsis and control groups in terms of MNC, MMC and MMS.

CONCLUSION

Although the predictive value of leukocyte parameters including neutrophil and monocyte volume, conductivity, scattering and volume distribution width in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was lower than that of CRP, PC and IL-6, some of these new parameters may be useful in the differential diagnosis of newborn sepsis, along with the other screening tools. In particular, MNV seems to be the most useful parameter with the highest specificity; also, the importance of PC in the diagnosis of early onset sepsis was confirmed.

Validity of C-reactive protein (CRP) for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the validity of C-reactive protein levels for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

METHODS

A cross sectional (Validation) study was conducted at Neonatology unit in KRL general hospital (emergency/OPD) of 7 months duration from February 2012 to August 2012. By using purposive sampling technique, 147, sample size was calculated by using WHO sample size calculator taking sensitivity 75%, specificity 95%, expected prevalence 50%, desired precision 10% and confidence level 95%.

RESULTS

Mean age of the neonates was 5.72 days + 3.86. Male patients were 81(55.1%) while 66(44.9%) were female. Neonatal sepsis was observed in 43(29.25%) and were confirmed through blood culture while 104(70.75%) were not confirmed on blood culture as neonatal sepsis. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosis of acute neonatal sepsis was 76.92% and 53.49% respectively while it had a positive predictive value of 80% and negative predictive value of 48.94%. Over all the diagnostic accuracy of CRP in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was 70.07%.

CONCLUSION

CRP estimation does have a role in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis but the test is not specific enough to be relied upon as the only indicator.

Effective Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis

Infection in neonates continues to be a global problem with significant morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is complicated by nonspecific clinical symptomatology, a high-false negative rate, and a delay in obtaining blood culture results. An ideal biomarker needs to have a high degree of accuracy in recognizing the presence or absence of definite infection at an early stage, to guide the initiation and duration of antibiotic therapy. The diagnostic utility of the following biomarkers seems to be most practical in the early (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, neutrophil CD64), mid (procalcitonin) and late (C-reactive protein) phases of neonatal sepsis. Future research studies to assess reliability of these biomarkers should be (1) adequately powered for sample size and (2) use the gold-standard definition of blood-culture proven pathogen-specific sepsis. Significant advances in diagnostic accuracy of novel biomarkers to allow early, accurate, and cost-effective identification of pathogens responsible for neonatal sepsis is anticipated in the next 5 years.

Normal Ranges for Acute Phase Reactants (Interleukin-6, Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha and C-reactive Protein) in Umbilical Cord Blood of Healthy Term Neonates at the Mount Hope Women's Hospital, Trinidad

OBJECTIVE

To determine normal ranges for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in umbilical cord blood from healthy term neonates at the Mount Hope Women's Hospital (MHWH), Trinidad.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted on healthy pregnant women admitted to the MHWH during the period October 1 to December 31, 2010. Women who were term with no signs of or risk factors for sepsis were recruited into the study after informed consent was obtained. Data were collected including maternal age, antenatal and perinatal history. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected and analysed for IL-6, TNF-α and CRP. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-two samples from healthy term neonates were analysed for IL-6 and TNF-α. One hundred and thirty-one samples were analysed for CRP due to one faulty kit. There were almost equal numbers of males (55%) and females (45%). Ninety per cent were > 2500 g at birth and 10% had low birthweight. Reference ranges of 0-16.4 pg/ml, 0-29.4 pg/ml and 0-12.4 mg/L were found for IL-6, TNF-α and CRP, respectively with 95% confidence intervals (11.6, 21.5 pg/ml; 24.0, 33.1 and 8.4, 15.1, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The normal ranges for IL-6, TNF-α and CRP in umbilical cord blood for healthy term Trinidadian neonates were 0-16.4 pg/ml, 0-29.4 pg/ml and 0-12.4 mg/L, respectively.

Early-onset neonatal sepsis

Early-onset sepsis remains a common and serious problem for neonates, especially preterm infants. Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the most common etiologic agent, while Escherichia coli is the most common cause of mortality. Current efforts toward maternal intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis have significantly reduced the rates of GBS disease but have been associated with increased rates of Gram-negative infections, especially among very-low-birth-weight infants. The diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is based on a combination of clinical presentation; the use of nonspecific markers, including C-reactive protein and procalcitonin (where available); blood cultures; and the use of molecular methods, including PCR. Cytokines, including interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and cell surface antigens, including soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) and CD64, are also being increasingly examined for use as nonspecific screening measures for neonatal sepsis. Viruses, in particular enteroviruses, parechoviruses, and herpes simplex virus (HSV), should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Empirical treatment should be based on local patterns of antimicrobial resistance but typically consists of the use of ampicillin and gentamicin, or ampicillin and cefotaxime if meningitis is suspected, until the etiologic agent has been identified. Current research is focused primarily on development of vaccines against GBS.

Positive maternal C-reactive protein predicts neonatal sepsis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of maternal inflammatory marker: C-reactive protein (CRP) in predicting early onset neonatal sepsis (that occurring within 72 hours after birth).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

126 low birth weight newborns (gestation 32±3.2 wk, birth weight 1887±623 g) and their mothers were included. Neonates were divided into sepsis group (n=51) including both proven (positive blood culture) and suspected (negative blood culture but with more than 3 abnormal clinical signs), and controls (n=75). Mothers were subgrouped into CRP positive ≥1.22 mg/dL (n=48) and CRP negative <1.22 mg/dL (n=78) group, determined by Receiver Operating Characteristic curves, and odds ratio was calculated for neonatal sepsis according to maternal condition.

RESULTS

Maternal CRP was significantly higher in neonatal sepsis group than in control (3.55±2.69 vs. 0.48±0.31 mg/dL, p=0.0001). Maternal CRP (cutoff value >1.22 mg/dL) had sensitivity 71% and specificity 84% for predicting neonatal sepsis. Maternal CRP positive group had more neonatal sepsis than CRP negative group (71% vs. 29%, p<0.001). Odds ratio of neonatal sepsis in maternal CRP positive group versus CRP negative group was 10.68 (95% confidence interval: 4.313-26.428, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The risk of early onset neonatal sepsis significantly increased in the case of positive maternal CRP (≥1.22 mg/dL). In newborn of CRP positive mother, the clinician may be alerted to earlier evaluation for possible neonatal infection prior to development of sepsis.