Early procalcitonin assays may reduce antibiotic exposure in premature newborn infants.
Acta Paediatr 2024;
113:939-946. [PMID:
38314886 DOI:
10.1111/apa.17137]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
AIM
The diagnosis of early-onset neonatal sepsis (EOS) remains difficult. The main aim was to study the effect of a new algorithm for EOS, which includes the level of procalcitonin in umbilical cord blood, on the exposure to antibiotic therapy of premature newborn infants.
METHODS
This was a monocentric, observational and retrospective study with before-and-after design. The duration and dose of antibiotic therapy provided as well as the morbidity and mortality were compared in two groups, one included 01 May 2015-30 November 2015 when procalcitonin was not used, and one after the change 01 November 2016-30 May 2017 when procalcitonin was used in a hospital setting in Nice, France.
RESULTS
Sixty newborn infants were included in the before group and 54 in the after group. Antibiotic therapy was stopped after 24 h for 18 newborn infants in the after group and four in the before group, and after 48 h for 26 newborn infants in the after group and 10 in the before group.
CONCLUSION
The implementation of a new decision-making algorithm including early procalcitonin assay of premature newborn infants significantly reduced exposure to antibiotics without modifying mortality or morbidity.
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