Frequency of Raised C-Reactive Protein in Blood Culture Positive Neonatal Sepsis in Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis remains a significant cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, and diagnostic obstacles continue to impede the timely administration of treatment. Although blood culture continues to be the gold standard, it is time-consuming. The rapid and cost-effective diagnostic instrument of C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase reactant, is capable of facilitating clinical decision-making in environments with restricted diagnostic resources.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of elevated CRP levels in neonates with blood culture-positive sepsis at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar.
Methodology: The Paediatric Department of Rehman Medical Institute conducted this cross-sectional investigation over a six-month period. Using sequential non-probability sampling, a total of 65 neonates aged 3–28 days with confirmed blood culture-positive sepsis were enrolled. Elevated serum CRP levels were defined as those exceeding 5 mg/dL. SPSS version 22.0 was employed to analyse the data, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 65 neonates, 62 (95.4%) exhibited elevated CRP levels. 2.8 ± 0.4 kg was the mean birth weight, and the mean gestational age was 37.2 ± 2.1 weeks. Gender, gestational age, and socioeconomic status did not exhibit any statistically significant correlations with CRP levels.
Conclusion: In neonates with blood culture-positive sepsis, a high prevalence of elevated CRP was observed, indicating its potential as a rapid and cost-effective supplementary marker for early diagnosis in neonatal care.