Temperature on admission among cases of neonatal sepsis and its association with mortality

To ascertain the prevalence of hyperthermia and different categories of hypothermia among the cases of probable and culture-proven neonatal sepsis, and to evaluate association of mortality rate with axillary temperature at admission.

This analytical study was conducted at Fazl-e-Omar Hospital, Rabwah, Pakistan, from January to December 2013, and comprised all cases of culture-proven and probable neonatal sepsis admitted in the neonatal intensive-care unit of the hospital. Using World Health Organisation classification, cases were categorised according to their temperature on admission, and outcome was recorded. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.

Of the 374 patients, 47(12.6%) died. Besides, 217(58%) cases had normal temperature, 49(13.1%) had hyperthermia, 50(13.4%) had mild hypothermia, and 58(15.5%) had moderate hypothermia. Mortality rate was high among cases with mild and moderate hypothermia i.e. 15(32.6%) and 15(33%), compared with the mortality rate in cases with normal temperature i.e. 12(6.1%). Mortality rate among cases with hyperthermia was 5(11.6%). In early onset cases, 33(16.2%) had mild and 45(22.1%) had moderate hypothermia. In late onset cases, 37(21.8%) had hyperthermia.

Most cases with neonatal sepsis had normal temperature. Mild and moderate hypothermia were found to be associated with higher mortality rate.