Application and correlation of hematological scoring system and serum prolactin levels in early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis – 3 year study

Neonatal septicemia is defined as a bacterial infection documented by a positive blood culture in the first 4 weeks of life. The clinical symptoms and signs are non specific and vague. So it is important to make diagnosis and to start treatment as early as possible to prevent serious morbidity and mortality caused by non-treatment or late treatment of septicemia. This study was conducted for a period of 3 years. 200 neonates under the age of 28 days were studied to find out hematological parameters including sepsis screen, hematological scoring system and serum procalcitonin levels in neonates suspicious of sepsis. We concluded that, though blood culture is a gold standard for the diagnosis of sepsis, combined use of sepsis markers increases the diagnostic accuracy in suspected cases and simultaneously prevents over treatment of clinically suspicious cases.