Complete Blood Count (CBC) Parameters as a Cost-Effective Tool for Early Diagnosis of Pediatric Sepsis: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

The CBC parameters - such as hemoglobin levels, platelet count, RDW, and indices like the NLR, PLR, and PMI - showed significant differences in children with sepsis. Although the AUC of none of these parameters approached 0.7, however, CBC parameters may offer a practical, low-cost adjunct for supporting early suspicion of pediatric sepsis in resource-limited settings. While in the current study, no single marker demonstrated sufficient accuracy as a standalone diagnostic marker, combining multiple parameters may improve early recognition and guide timely intervention. Further adequately powered prospective studies taking into account the confounding factors are required to validate the role of these markers and indices in the early diagnosis of pediatric sepsis.