title: Preterm Infants Can Mount Appropriate C-Reactive Protein Responses to Early Onset Sepsis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate whether infants born at ≤ 32 weeks' gestational age (GA) can mount C-reactive protein (CRP) responses during early onset bacterial sepsis that are comparable to infants born at > 32 weeks' GA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively (2003-2012) infants with a positive bacterial culture during the first 72 hours of life were identified and grouped into two categories based on their GA: ≤ 32 weeks (group A) and > 32 weeks (group B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A included 25 and group B included 122 infants. Both groups responded similarly to sepsis with an increase in CRP (p = 0.59). Each group had a significant change in intragroup CRP levels over time (p < 0.0001). However, in both groups, the degree of this change was at the same rate over time (p = 0.74).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRP responses to bacterial sepsis during the first 72 hours of life in infants born at ≤ 32 weeks' GA are comparable to infants born at > 32 weeks' GA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sanket D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Ajay J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Talati
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Mohamad T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Elabiad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Ramasubbareddy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dhanireddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Massroor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pourcyrous
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein