Evaluation of serum ferritin and its correlation with biomarkers of early onset neonatal sepsis

Background A clinical illness known as neonatal sepsis is defined by disseminated infection symptoms and bacteremia during the first 30 days of life. It is categorized as early-onset neonatal sepsis and late-onset neonatal sepsis It is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Neonatal sepsis can be diagnosed by blood culture but it takes a lot of time. Serum ferritin as an acute phase Reactant can be used as a Marker of neonatal sepsis, also it is found to be a better indicator of mortality in neonatal sepsis. Aim Examine the diagnostic usefulness of procalcitonin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum ferritin as indicators of early-onset neonatal sepsis and compare these markers with various clinical and laboratory analysis results of neonatal sepsis. Patients and methods A total of 40 newborns admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Neonates (Ain Shams Pediatrics Hospital) took part in the study. Aged from 1 to 3 days of life, 20 neonates were proven Neonatal sepsis, and the other 20 as control Age-matched neonates without any major clinical or laboratory evidence of Sepsis. All children underwent a clinical evaluation that involved taking their history, routine investigation (CBC, CRP, and blood culture) also determination of serum ferritin, IL-6, and procalcitonin Results Procalcitonin and IL-6 both showed higher specificity as well as sensitivity than serum ferritin. Conclusion A positive correlation has been shown between CRP and serum ferritin. Furthermore, there is a positive association between procalcitonin and IL-6. Egypt J Haematol2024 49:438-443 (c) 2024 The Egyptian Journal of Haematology