Can platelet and leukocyte counts guide the early prediction of neonatal sepsis?

Aims: Early recognition of neonatal sepsis, which is an important cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, contributes positively to clinical outcomes. Although culture methods are the gold standard for the diagnosis, they take time and can delay critical treatment decisions. Therefore, there is a need for validation of easily accessible, cost-effective practical approaches in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the leukocyte and platelet counts as diagnostic markers in early neonatal sepsis. Methods: In our prospective study, the contribution of platelet and leukocyte counts to the diagnostic accuracy of two groups of patients diagnosed with sepsis (group I) and excluded sepsis (group II) in the neonatal intensive care unit were evaluated on days 1, 3, 5 and 7. Results: A significant difference was found in the group diagnosed with sepsis in terms of low platelet count and platelet reduction rates. The specificity and sensitivity of thrombocytopenia in the diagnosis of sepsis was 88.8% and 81.3%, respectively. In addition, the presence of thrombocytopenia in the early period was informative about the unfavorable prognosis. Conclusion: We think that thrombocytopenia can be used as a screening test for early diagnosis of sepsis.