Early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is mandatory. Various markers are used to diagnose the condition.
To evaluate the diagnostic value of various clinical data and hematologic parameters, such as total leukocyte count, absolute neutrophil count, immature to total neutrophil ratio, and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) in identification and outcome of neonatal sepsis.
Newborn infants with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit at Mansoura University Children's Hospital during the period between July 2007 and December 2007 were eligible for study. In addition, 30 healthy neonates were included in the study. Complete hematologic and microbiologic laboratory investigations were performed, and serum E-selectin was measured.
Plasma sE-selectin levels were significantly higher (P < .001) in infected infants (mean [SD], 156.9 [77.0] ng/mL) than in noninfected (mean [SD], 88.8 [47.1] ng/mL) and healthy infants (mean [SD], 8.67 [3.74] ng/mL). Infants with gram-negative sepsis had higher sE-selectin levels than did those with gram-positive sepsis (P = .04). C-reactive protein was the best laboratory test for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, with an overall sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 97%, respectively. Performing sE-selectin with C-reactive protein or immature to total ratio tests increased the specificity, but reduced the sensitivity, of the tests for the determination of neonatal sepsis. Plasma sE-selectin levels were higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (P = .01) and were higher in those with hemodynamic dysfunction than in those without hemodynamic dysfunction (P < .001).
We conclude that plasma sE-selectin levels are elevated in neonatal sepsis. Significant elevation was associated with gram-negative sepsis. Plasma sE-selectin had low diagnostic value when used alone or in combination with other tests; however, it can be used as a prognostic indicator for the outcome of neonatal sepsis.