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Updated: Feb 25, 2026
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Mean platelet volume and serum uric acid in neonatal sepsis: A case-control study
Mohsen M Shalaby1, Ahmad A Sobeih1, Waleed E Abdulghany1
1Pediatrics Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt.
Insights
Mean platelet volume (MPV) can aid in early neonatal sepsis diagnosis. Serum uric acid (SUA) shows lower sensitivity for diagnosing neonatal sepsis, despite its antioxidant properties.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Hematology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Mean platelet volume (MPV) indicates inflammatory burden and disease activity.
- Serum uric acid (SUA) is a key antioxidant, potentially influencing longevity and malignancy risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of MPV and SUA in neonatal sepsis (NS).
- To assess the role of these biomarkers in identifying sepsis in newborns.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 80 newborns: 22 with clinical NS, 18 with proven NS, and 40 healthy controls.
- Evaluated complete blood count (including MPV), C-reactive protein (CRP), blood cultures, and SUA levels.
- Analyzed historical and clinical data for all participants.
Main Results:
- Septic neonates exhibited significantly higher MPV values compared to controls.
- Septic neonates demonstrated significantly lower SUA levels than the control group.
- Established diagnostic cut-off values: MPV at 10.2 fL and SUA at 3.70 mg/dL for NS.
Conclusions:
- MPV is a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
- SUA levels have limited sensitivity for diagnosing neonatal sepsis.
Background:
Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a measure of platelet volume. It reveals the presence of inflammatory burden and disease activity in many diseases. Serum uric acid (SUA) is one of the most important antioxidants in human biological fluids and is responsible for neutralizing > 50% of the free radicals in the human blood. For this reason, it was thought that the antioxidant effects of SUA could increase the life expectancy and/or reduce the incidence of malignancy.
Objectives:
To determine the role of mean platelet volume (MPV) and serum uric acid (SUA) level in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis (NS).
Methods:
This case-control study was done on 80 newborns divided into 3 groups: group A (n = 22): clinical NS, group B (n = 18): Proven NS and Group C (n = 40): apparently healthy control. All patients in the study were subjected to adequate assessment of history, full clinical examination, complete blood count including MPV, C - reactive protein (CRP), blood culture in CRP positive cases, and SUA level at the time of diagnosis of sepsis.
Results:
Septic neonates showed statistically higher values of MPV and statistically lower levels of SUA than the control group. The diagnostic cut-off values of MPV and SUA for NS were 10.2 fL, and 3.70 mg/dL, respectively.
Conclusions:
MPV could be assessed in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis while SUA level has lower sensitivity in neonatal sepsis.
