The diagnostic value of micro CRP and deltaneutrophil index in term and preterm newborns withneonatal sepsis diagnosis

The neonatal period is defined as the first 28 days of life. Neonatal sepsis is the clinical form of the response of the newborn by mechanisms including inflammatory processes against the invasion of any tissue of the newborn by an infectious microorganism. Due to the serious mortality of neonatal sepsis, the rapid deterioration of the clinic and the possibility of unnecessary use of antimicrobials, speed and specificity are very important in the diagnosis process. Blood culture is still the gold standard diagnostic method for neonatal sepsis. Blood tests such as CRP and complete blood count are also of great importance in the diagnosis process. The delta neutrophil index, which is a modified form of important blood count parameters in diagnosis, based on neutrophil differentiation and nuclear lobularity changes, and expressed as the number of immature granulocytes, is of great importance for the diagnostic process of neonatal sepsis. In this study, the value of delta neutrophil index and Micro CRP results as biomarkers in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was investigated. The sample of the study consisted of 30 newborns with a clinical or proven diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and 30 control newborns. Relevant parameters were evaluated with venous blood samples taken from the whole sample. Micro CRP and routine CRP results were found to be positively strongly correlated (p <0.001; r = 0.918). The mean value of Micro CRP in the neonatal sepsis group was found to be higher than the control group (p <0.01). For the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, the value of 1.905 mg / dL was determined as the cut-off value with 86.7% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity. The mean value of delta neutrophil index in the neonatal sepsis group was higher than in the control group (p <0.01). The value of 1.95 for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was determined as the cut-off value with 90.0% sensitivity and specificity. Micro CRP and delta neutrophil index are considered as candidate markers for routine use in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.