First day Predictors of Mortality in Neonates with Early onset Sepsis: A Case–control Study from Baghdad
Nabeeha Najatee Akram, Banan Wadi Ahmed, Ahmed Khaldoon Yaseen, Shaymaa Khalid AbdulqaderAbstract
Context:
Early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) is one of the leading causes of death in the neonatal period.
Aims:
To identify maternal and neonatal risk factors in the 1 st day of life that predicts mortality in neonates with EONS.
Patients and Methods:
A case–control study included neonates with an EONS who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in tertiary hospital in Baghdad-Iraq from May 2023 to May 2024. All patients included in the study have had blood withdrawn for septic screening in the 1 st day of life and subsequently carried the diagnosis of EONS by positive blood culture results. According to the fate of the patients, the study sample was divided into two groups: a case group composed of newborns with early sepsis who died and a control group made up of newborns who survived hospital care. Neonatal and maternal factors with possible influence on the fate of neonates were analyzed and compared between both groups.
Results:
A total of 168 neonates were included in the study, 50 neonates died with reported death rate of (42.4%). The deceased neonates had a significantly earlier time of blood withdrawal for investigation than the survived neonate
Conclusions:
Mortality rates from EONS are an alarmingly high and closely related to maternal and neonatal factors. Apgar scores ≤3 at 1 st and 5 th min can serve as the early predictors of death in neonates with EONS.