title: Validity of C-reactive protein (CRP) for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the validity of C-reactive protein levels for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional (Validation) study was conducted at Neonatology unit in KRL general hospital (emergency/OPD) of 7 months duration from February 2012 to August 2012. By using purposive sampling technique, 147, sample size was calculated by using WHO sample size calculator taking sensitivity 75%, specificity 95%, expected prevalence 50%, desired precision 10% and confidence level 95%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the neonates was 5.72 days + 3.86. Male patients were 81(55.1%) while 66(44.9%) were female. Neonatal sepsis was observed in 43(29.25%) and were confirmed through blood culture while 104(70.75%) were not confirmed on blood culture as neonatal sepsis. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosis of acute neonatal sepsis was 76.92% and 53.49% respectively while it had a positive predictive value of 80% and negative predictive value of 48.94%. Over all the diagnostic accuracy of CRP in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was 70.07%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRP estimation does have a role in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis but the test is not specific enough to be relied upon as the only indicator.
authors.affiliation: Effat Hisamuddin, MBBS, FCPS (Paeds), Consultant Paediatrician, Tehsil Headquarter Hospital (THQ), Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Effat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hisamuddin
authors.affiliation: Aliya Hisam, MBBS, MPH, Assistant Professor, Community Medicine Department, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hisam
authors.affiliation: Sughra Wahid, MBBS, FCPS (Paeds), MRCPCH, Head of Pediatric Department, Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL) Hospital, G9/1, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sughra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wahid
authors.affiliation: Ghulam Raza, MBBS, MSc (Medical Administration), Vice Principal, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ghulam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raza
keywords: C-reactive protein; Neonatal Sepsis; Neonates