Study of thrombocytopenia and platelet indices in neonatal sepsis

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal Sepsis is major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality contributing around 38% of all deaths in neonates worldwide. Neonatal Sepsis is clinical syndrome with or without accompanying bacteremia in the first month of life. Sepsis in neonates often results in thrombocytopenia and changes in platelet indices.Aims & Objectives: The current study was undertaken to correlate degree of thrombocytopenia and platelet indices variation in neonates with sepsis. It gives an overview of potential utility of importance of platelet count and platelet indices in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 neonates admitted in NICU, Civil hospital, BJMC Ahmedabad with clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis along with positive blood culture. Peripheral blood was drawn from all study subjects under aseptic precautions in EDTA container and study was done for thrombocytopenia and platelet indices variation in neonatal sepsis. All samples were processed in fully automated hematology analyzer HORIBA PENTA XLR (5 part) with standard calibration.Results: In our study among 100 cases with neonatal sepsis, thrombocytopenia was present in 48% cases. High MPV seen in 58.34% cases and High PDW seen in 72.9% cases.