Huma Bashir Janjua, Maryam Rafiq Ghuncha, Sadaf Haroon.
To Determine the Diagnostic Accuracy of C Reactive Protein in Diagnosing Neonatal Sepsis Keeping Blood Culture as Gold Standard.
Isra Med J Jan ;9(3):131-4.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of C reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosing neonatal sepsis keeping blood culture as gold standard. STUDY DESIGN: A Cross sectional study st PLACEAND DURATION: At Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), Rawalpindi from 1 January 2011 to 31st December 2013. METHODOLOGY: In this study 136 neonates were enrolled who presented with the clinical suspicion of sepsis. Quantitative C reactive protein and blood cultures of all such patients were drawn and sent to the laboratory. Cut off value of 6 mg/dl was taken as positive CRP result. Blood culture and CRP results of all patients were compared to each other. Blood culture was taken as gold standard for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. RESULTS: Out of 136 patients Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of CRP was found to be 23.93%, 57.89%, 77.77%, 11.00% and 26.47% respectively. CONCLUSION: As the sensitivity and specificity of CRP has turned out to be low so it is concluded that CRP cannot be adopted as an isolated and unique biochemical marker for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

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