title: A mathematical algorithm for detection of late-onset sepsis in very-low birth weight infants: a preliminary diagnostic test evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the diagnostic ability of RALIS (computerized mathematical algorithm and continuous monitoring device) to detect late onset sepsis among very low birth weight preterm neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly chosen 24 very low birth weight infants with proven sepsis were compared to 22 infants without sepsis. The clinical parameters were retrospectively collected from the medical records. The ability of RALIS to detect late onset sepsis was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RALIS positively identified 23 of the 24 infants with sepsis (sensitivity 95.8%). It indicated sepsis alert median 2.0 days earlier than clinical suspicion. A false positive alert was indicated in 23% (5/22) infants. The specificity, and positive and negative predictive ability of RALIS were 77.3%. 82.1% and 94.4%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RALIS may aid in the early diagnosis of late onset sepsis in very low birth weight preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Intensive Care Unit, Bikur Holim Hospital, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem; *Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv; #Department of Pediatrics, Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, and $Department of Neonatology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa; Israel. Correspondence to: Dr Arieh Riskin, Department of Neonatology, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, 47 Golomb Street, P.O.B. 4940, Haifa 31048, Israel. arik.riskin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Gal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Markel
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nave
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vainshtein
authors.forename: Arik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eisenkraft
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riskin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology