Neonatal leucocyte cell population data: reference intervals and relevance for detecting sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis

This study establishes reference intervals for neonatal leukocyte Cell Population Data (CPD), providing a valuable resource for interpreting these preclinical parameters in newborns. Our findings highlight the impact of gestational and postnatal age on neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte morphology, contributing to a better understanding of neonatal immune development. In an exploratory analysis, CPD parameters, particularly NE-SFL, had superior diagnostic accuracy for sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis compared to traditional biomarkers. As CPD are automatically generated with CBC, they offer a cost-effective, real-time, and objective tool with potential for improving neonatal sepsis detection.