Accuracy of C-Reactive Protein Test for Neonatal Septicemia: A Diagnostic Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP) test in detecting neonatal septicemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Springer, MBASE, Elsevier Science Direct, and Medline databases up to March 2017. To collect relevant data on CRP testing in patients with neonatal septicemia, we performed a meta-analysis of positive likelihood ratio (LR), sensitivity, negative LR, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (dOR) of CRP testing, using Stata 12.0 and Meta-DiSc 1.4 data analysis software. RESULTS Ten studies including 1819 participants were considered in this study. We found that positive LR, sensitivity, negative LR, specificity, and dOR of the CRP test for neonatal septicemia were 5.63 (95% CI=2.86 to 11.09), 0.70 (95% CI=0.66 to 0.75), 0.36 (95% CI=0.21 to 0.60), 0.89 (95% CI=0.87 to 0.91), and 17.99 (95% CI=6.50 to 49.83), respectively. The AUC and Q* index of this meta-analysis were 0.90 and 0.83, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The area under the curve (AUC), negative LR, positive LR, Q* index, specificity, and dOR of the CRP test suggest that it is appropriate for detecting neonatal septicemia.