title: Comparative study of four tests of bacterial infection in the neonate. Total neutrophil count, CRP, fibrinogen and C3d.
abstract: In a prospective study, the diagnostic value of C3d serum levels was compared with that of neutropenia, hyperfibrinogenemia and raised CRP in generalized neonatal bacterial infections. Serum C3d was evaluated using a counter-immunoelectrophoresis technique following a step of removal of C3 split products. Twelve patients with septicemia, 8 patients with highly probable infection and 134 normal controls were included in the study. The sensitivities for neutropenia, hyperfibrinogenemia, raised CRP and positive C3d were 21, 45, 60 and 70%, respectively, with a significant difference between the sensitivities of neutropenia and positive C3d (p < 0.01). The specificities were found to be 99.2, 99.2, 100 and 97.7% respectively. Thus the C3d qualitative test appears to be as reliable as CRP in the diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Service de Réanimation Pédiatrique et de Néonatalogie, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Brest, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillois
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Donnou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sizun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bendaoud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Youinou
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D015933:Complement C3d / Q000032:analysis*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015933:Complement C3d; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein