Diagnostic and prognostic value of PCT and RDW in premature infants with septicemia

It aims to study the diagnostic effect of procalcitonin (PCT) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in premature septicemia (PS), and to analyze the prognostic evaluation value of PCT and RDW in PS. Ninety eight septicemia premature infants (SPI) who visited the neonatal intensive care unit of our hospital from June 2019 to July 2021 were selected and met the criteria. Based on the patient's condition and the neonatal shock score, they were separated into a severe group (SG) and a mild group (MG). There were 43 children and 55 children in the 2 groups, respectively. According to the survival status of SPI after 3 days of treatment, they were divided into a death group and a SG. It detected and analyzed the peripheral venous blood of SPI before treatment (BT) and after treatment (AT), and observed the changes of PCT and RDW. The comparison of general data between severe and mild SPI and their mothers did not have statistical significance (P > .05). The PCT of the SG was higher than that of the MG BT, on the 1st day and the 3rd day AT; The PCT BT and AT in both groups ranged from high to low on the 1st day and the 3rd day AT and BT (P < .05). The RDW in the SG were higher than those in the MG, and the RDW BT and AT in both groups were the highest on the 1st day AT; The RDW BT in the MG was higher than on the 3rd day AT, while the RDW BT in the SG was lower than on the 3rd day AT (P < .05). The optimal cutoff values for PCT on the 1st and 3rd day AT were 40.594ng/ml and 64.854ng/ml, respectively, with sensitivity of 100.0% and 100.0%, and specificity of 73.2% and 87.1% (P < .05). The optimal cutoff values for RDW on the 1st and 3rd day AT were 16.649% and 18.449%, respectively, with sensitivity of 100.0% and 100.0%, and specificity of 68.5% and 91.8% (P < .05). Monitoring the changes in PCT and RDW can promote the early diagnosis of PS and their prognosis evaluation.