PROCALCITONIN AND INTERLEUKIN- 6 AS MARKERS FOR NEONATAL SEPSIS

Abstract

This study included 30 newborn inhmts group I with neonatal sepsis of different etiologies, 15 term infants groupiA (9 males and 6 females), and 15 preterm infants groupiB (10 males and 5 females) i:1 addition to groupll including 20 apparently healthy neonates as a control they were collected from \Jeonatal Cnit Of El-Minia University Hospital. Serum procalcitonin was higher in all septic group (term and preterm) than in control group (85.33 '50.59 vs 16.2+ 16.43 ng/ml, p­ valuc<O.OO I). Also procalcitonin kvd was higher in term than 111 preterm cases (86.6 ± 32.3 vs 84.14::1- 65.22ngiml, p- value<0.006). Procalcitonin level was higher in septic neonates \Vith negative

blood cul_ture compared with those with positive culture (91.78 ± 38.46 vs 79.76 ± 59.94 ng/ml, p- value '-0.05), and compared with the control group (91.8 ± 38.5 vs 16.2 ±:: 16.4 ng/ml , P-value<0.008 ) . There was• a negative correlation between procalcitonin level and white blood cell count in septic group (P- value <0.004). IL-6 concentrations were significantly elevated in septic neonates when compared with the control group (P-value<O.OO 1 ). There was no difference of statistical significance between the serum level of IL-6 in term and preterm neonates with sepsis (P- value < 0.42).