Validation of Hematological Markers in Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Background Neonatal sepsis is considered a ubiquitous worldwide cause of mortality and morbidity in newborn infants. The incidence is 10-50 per 1000 live births. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easily accessible and cost-effective hematological marker for prompt diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Aim and objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical significance of NLR in neonates clinically diagnosed with sepsis and its impact on the management. Methods This retrospective study was conducted on 265 neonates diagnosed with sepsis and compared with 341 healthy controls. The statistical analysis was performed by using the Student's t-test to compare the variables. Result Median NLR levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls. NLR had a modest power of predicting neonatal sepsis, as suggested by an area under a curve of 0.569. Conclusion NLR is an important predictor of neonatal sepsis. There is a significant modest positive correlation between NLR and sepsis.