Background: Neonatal septicemia is a clinical syndrome characterized by signs and symptoms of infection with or without accompanying bacteremia in the first month of life. Sepsis is a common complication in the neonatal intensive care unit. It is caused by various organisms invading the blood stream, which may be by bacterial, viral, fungal and protozoal infections.
Objective: The aim of this study was to diagnose neonatal sepsis early in order to reduce morbidity and mortality of newborn.
Patients and methods: This study was a case-control study that included 132 participants divided into two groups, each group included 66 patients. 1st group included neonatal sepsis and 2nd group was control group without sepsis. They were admitted at Neonatal Unit of Pediatric Department at Zagazig University Hospitals during the period from 11/2019 to 11/2020.Investigations done for all these neonates, and included complete blood count [PLT, PDW, MPV and Platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR)], CRP, ESR, blood culture, urine culture and chest x-ray.
Results: There was statistically significant difference between the septic cases and control group regarding platelets distribution width (PDW) where 87.9% of the septic cases had elevated PDW while 45.5% of control group had elevated PDW. There was statistically significant negative correlation between platelets count with CRP, platelets distribution width, mean platelet volume and P-LCR (increased platelets count is associated with decrease in CRP, platelets distribution width, mean platelet volume and P-LCR) among the control group.
Conclusion: Platelet indices, as part of a routine automated cell count, are cheap and readily available tests that can be used as valuable clues in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.