Article:

Micro-Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate in Neonatal Sepsis of a Tertiary Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality among low birth weight and preterm babies in developing countries. The main objective of this study is to find the level of micro-Erythrocyte sedimentation rate in neonatal sepsis. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the neonatal unit over six months period (November 2019 to April 2020). All preterm, term and post-term babies with neonatal sepsis delivered at Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital were enrolled. Ethical clearance was received from the Institutional Review Committee of Kathmandu Medical College (Ref: 181020191). Convenient sampling method was applied and statistical analysis was done with Statistical package for social sciences 19 version. Results: Out of 75 babies, confirm sepsis is 13 (17.3%), probable sepsis is 40 (53.4%) and suspected sepsis is 22 (29.2%). Micro-Erythrocyte sedimentation level is elevated (≥15mm in 1st hr) in 25 (33.3%) babies with a mean micro-Erythrocyte sedimentation level 9.32±5.4 (2-18) mm in 1st hr. The elevated micro- Erythrocyte sedimentation level was seen in relation to sepsis types and C-reactive protein. Conclusions: The bedside micro-Erythrocyte sedimentation level aids in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Keywords: c-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, neonatal sepsis