Neonates with sepsis and cardiovascular dysfunction

Background: Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Cardiovascular dysfunction (CVD), including biventricular impairment, altered vascular tone, and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), is a frequent complication. Aim: To evaluate CVD in neonates with NS admitted to the NICU at Benha University Hospital. Subjects and Methods: This prospective observational research included neonates with NS in the NICU between July 2024 and December 2024, alongside an age- and sex-matched control group. All participants underwent functional echocardiography (f-Echo) for cardiac assessment. Results: In both NS and control groups, 50% were male. Birth weight ranged from 2.2–3.5 kg (mean 2.9 ± 0.3 kg). Thrombocytopenia was observed in 63.3% of NS cases, leukocytosis in 16.7%, and 36.7% exhibited significant neutrophil shift. Echocardiography demonstrated notable CVD in NS patients, which improved significantly following sepsis resolution. Conclusion: NS is associated with marked CVD, detectable and monitorable via f-Echo, highlighting the importance of cardiac evaluation in septic neonates.