Procalcitonin in the diagnosis of infectious and inflammatory diseases in newborns

• Irina V. Nikitina
• Oleg V. Ionov
• O.V. Milaya

Abstract

Аim of this study was to determine the significance of procalcitonin in the diagnosis of infectious and inflammatory diseases in newborns.

Material and methods. The work included data from 160 infants with very low and extremely low birth weight received for examination and treatment in resuscitation and intensive care unit of V.I. Kulakov Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Research Center of Ministry of Healthcаre of the Russian Federation, Moscow from January 2012 to April 2014.

Results. On the basis of own experience and literature data the significance of procalcitonin in the diagnosis of infectious and inflammatory diseases in newborns was estimated. The clinical guidelines that define the extent of examination of newborns who are at high risk of acquiring an infection, and principles of antibiotic therapy administration are developed.

Conclusion. The developed clinical recommendations can be proposed for use in resuscitation and intensive care units as a tool to select a group of newborns who are at high risk of acquiring an infection, which determines the order of this newborns examination and approaches to antibiotic therapy administration.

Keywords:procalcitonin, antibiotic therapy, infection, newborn, examination

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