Procalcitonin levels in preterm newborns: Reference ranges during the first three days of life.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sepsis is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period, especially in preterms. Diagnosis is difficult because of specific signs and symptoms. The diagnostic gold standard is blood culture, but its sensibility is low. Much effort has been made to identify early, sensitive, and specific diagnostic markers; among these markers particular attention was paid to procalcitonin. However, reference ranges of serum procalcitonin (PCT) shortly after birth have not been sufficiently studied in healthy preterms, and literature is still contradictory.

Objectives

The aim of the study is to define PCT age-specific reference ranges in the first 72 h of life in uninfected VLBW preterms.

Methods

Serum levels of PCT were assessed for each

SUBMITTER: Tuoni C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9464813 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature