Outcome of Neonatal Sepsis in Preterm Neonates in Relation to Gestational Age

Abstract

Objective: To determine the outcome of neonatal sepsis in preterm neonates in relations to gestational age among preterm neonates presenting with sepsis at tertiary care hospital.

Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted at Department of Pediatrics, LUMHS, Jamshoro, from December 2021 to June 2022, on preterm neonates with sepsis presenting to the emergency department were included. After a detailed medical history and physical examination, patients were treated according to clinical indications and hospital protocols, and subsequently followed until discharge to assess outcomes. All the information was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26.

Results: Overall mean age of the neonates was 5.7 ± 6.05 days, and out of them 32.8% were boys and 67.2%) were girls. Based on outcomes, feed intolerance was in 22.4% neonates, weight gain in 7.7%, respiratory distress in 70.7%, hypoglycemia in 4.3%, hypothermia in 9.5%, necrotizing enterocolitis in 16.4%w, and intra-ventricular hemorrhage in 21.5% neonates. Gestational age showed no significant effect on neonatal outcomes (p = 0.991). Birth weight was significantly associated (p = 0.010), with neonates 1.5–2.5 kg showing higher adverse outcomes. Mode of delivery was not significant (p = 0.538), while male neonates had higher rates of complications.

Conclusion: Respiratory distress observed to be a most common complication followed by feed intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis and intra-ventricular hemorrhage while the outcomes were insignificantly related to the gestational age. Further large-scale work is recommended for validation of current findings.