Association between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Background: Neonatal sepsis contributes substantially to neonatal morbidity and mortality and is an ongoing major global public health challenge. The aim of this study was to find out the association between RDW and early onset Neonatal Sepsis. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Paediatrics inpatient department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from May 2019 to November 2019. Results: In this study shows mean postnatal age was 1.86±0.730days and gestational age was 38.83±1.59 weeks in case group besides mean postnatal age was 1.88±0.738 days and gestational age was 39.06±1.78weeks in control group. Mean birth weight of case group was 3240±135.44gm and control group was 3346.66±139.57gm. The mean heamoglobin was 12.76±0.85, WBC was 20.12±1.27, RBC was 4.63±0.77, MCV was 85±0.97, platelet was 232±11.86, CRP was 21±0.77 and RDW Percentage was 21.83±2.39 in case group whereas mean heamoglobin was 12.86±0.83, WBC was 14.81±1.23, RBC was 4.85±0.71, MCV was 82.23±1.19, platelet was 280±14.26, CRP was 3.55±0.70 and RDW Percentage was 15.23±1.85 in control group. The ROC analysis of RDW% in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis found an AUC of 0.967 (95%CI 0.867- 0.017) which is statistically significant (p<0.001). A cut-off value of ≥ 20.60 showed an 86.6% sensitivity and 95% specificity. Conclusion: RDW indices were higher in neonate present with early onset of neonatal sepsis. There is a strong correlation between RDW and CRP in the early onset of neonatal sepsis.