Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part C (2024)

Background: Early identification and treatment of neonatal sepsis is crucial, as it stands as the leading cause of illness and death in neonates. While blood culture remains the definitive diagnostic test, it has significant limitations - it requires specialized laboratory facilities, takes 48 hours for results, and detects only 30-75% of cases. Recent research indicates that platelet parameters obtained from routine complete blood counts (CBC) may serve as dependable and cost-effective screening tests. These parameters include platelet count (PC) along with indices such as plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW).
Aims and Objectives: To analyse the relationship between platelet parameters (including platelet count and indices) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in confirmed cases of neonatal sepsis (verified by positive blood culture) at a specialized healthcare facility.
Method: This was a prospective study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of RNT Medical College and attached Hospital in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The investigation examined 188 neonates with blood culture-confirmed sepsis who were admitted to this facility during a one-year period from June 1st, 2021 through May 31st, 2022.
Result: Out of the 2,140 neonates studied, 188 cases were culture-positive. A significant percentage (87%) of these cases presented with elevated CRP levels. Additionally, 75.5% of neonates had low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), 65.9% had high MPV, and 40.4% had high PDW.
Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between CRP and both MPV and PDW (p-values of 0.023822 and 0.011713, respectively). 
Conclusion: Given their affordability, rapid turnaround time, and accessibility, platelet indices can be a useful screening tool for neonatal sepsis, without the need for specialized equipment.