Can Estimation of Presepsin Levels in Endotracheal Aspirate Predict Early Onset Pneumonia in Newborns?

Excerpt

Pneumonia is a major cause of mortality in children less than five years of age, the greatest risk being in the neonatal period. In neonates pneumonia can be of early onset, that is occurring within 7 days of birth or some have also suggested within first 48 h, or late onset. Early onset pneumonia was found at autopsy in 10–38% of stillborn and 20–63% of liveborns who subsequently died [1]. Mortality has been associated with birth weight and age of onset, with much higher case fatality rates in early than late onset pneumonia. Clinical predictive factors in mother or newborn may be absent in many cases of early onset pneumonia. However, there is no consensus definition of early onset pneumonia but a working definition has been proposed but not yet validated [2]. Sepsis screen had high co-positivity with positive blood culture and chest X-ray consistent with early onset pneumonia. …