title: Procalcitonin and interleukin-6 in the diagnosis of early-onset sepsis of the neonate.
abstract: The reliability of procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was determined and compared with that of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of early-onset sepsis of the neonate within the first 12 h of life. ROC analysis of values of 41 neonates with blood-cultures-positive and clinical sepsis compared with those of 27 uninfected neonates revealed sensitivities for PCT (> or = 6 ng/mL), IL-6 (> or = 60 pg/mL), and CRP (> or = 2.5 mg/L) of 77%, 54%, and 69% and specificities of 91%, 100% and 96%, respectively. Sensitivity of CRP at > or = 8 mg/L was 49% (p = 0.012 compared to PCT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT was the most sensitive diagnostic parameter in the diagnosis of early-onset sepsis within 12 h of life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Graz, Austria. bernhard.resch@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gusenleitner
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide