DOI: 10.4103/ajop.ajop_9_26 ISSN: 1687-9945

Preoperative serum prealbumin versus C-reactive protein as a predictor of clinical outcome of neonatal surgical cases

Eman M.A. Kahla, Heba S. El Mahdy, Mohamed H. Fouda, Mai R. El-Sheikh
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Introduction

Malnutrition in surgical neonates worsens recovery, and C-reactive protein (CRP) helps predict outcomes when infections affect standard markers. We aimed to compare preoperative serum Transthyretin and CRP as predictors for clinical outcomes for neonatal surgical cases.

Patients and methods

A prospective cohort observational study was conducted on 50 full-term neonates (≥37 weeks) who were admitted to the neonatal ICU for any surgical intervention of both sexes. All patients underwent a perinatal and natal history of labor and delivery, general examination, anthropometric measurements, vital signs measurements, routine laboratory investigations, and radiological investigations.

Results

There was a negative correlation between wound infection and (prealbumin level, preoperative albumin, and postoperative albumin) ( P <0.05). There was a positive correlation between wound infection and (preoperative CRP and duration of invasive ventilation) ( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in prealbumin levels between the surviving and deceased groups for either mortality or complications. Prealbumin values were comparable between groups, and no association with mortality or complication outcomes was observed ( P >0.05). In univariate regression analysis, preoperative prealbumin and preoperative CRP were not independent predictors of complications or mortality. Additionally, preoperative prealbumin and preoperative CRP were not independent predictors of wound infection.

Conclusion

Preoperative prealbumin levels were low in neonatal surgical patients and were inversely associated with postoperative wound infection, reflecting compromised nutritional status. However, prealbumin did not independently predict mortality or overall postoperative complications. Early nutritional evaluation and optimization remain essential in this high-risk population.

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