Predictors of Serious Bacterial and Viral Infections among Neonates with Fever.
- Author:
Ui Yoon CHOI
1
;
Jung Soo LEE
;
Jung Hyun LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Seoul, Korea. ljhped@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Newborn;
Fever;
Infection;
Risk
- MeSH:
Bacteremia;
Bacterial Infections;
Body Temperature;
Cellulitis;
Enteritis;
Fever;
Heart Rate;
Humans;
Infant;
Infant, Newborn;
Leukocytosis;
Meningitis, Aseptic;
Meningitis, Bacterial;
Physical Examination;
Pneumonia;
Retrospective Studies;
Risk Factors;
Seizures;
Sepsis;
Thrombocytopenia;
Urinary Tract Infections;
Vital Signs
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Neonatology
2008;15(1):61-66
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiologic features of febrile illnesses in newborns and to predict the risk of serious infections in this population. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 123 full-term infants <30 days of age with an axillary temperature >38 degrees C who were hospitalized between 2000 and 2006. Neonates with prenatal risk factors, congenital anomalies, antibiotic administration prior to admission to the hospital, or suspected hospital-acquired infections were excluded. We evaluated the symptoms, physical examination findings, laboratory data, and clinical course between the high- and low-risk groups for serious infections. RESULTS: The high-risk group included 30 infants with the following diagnoses in order of frequency: aseptic meningitis, urinary tract infection, bacterial meningitis, infectious enteritis, sepsis concomitant with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, bacteremia, pneumonia, cellulitis, and omphalitis. Leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were statistically different between the two groups. Factors, such as moaning signs, seizures, body temperature, and pulse rate were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Unlike previous studies, we included newborns with clinical bacterial infections and aseptic meningitis as the high-risk group. Leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, moaning signs, seizures, and changes in vital signs were considered useful predictors for identifying febrile neonates at high-risk for serious infections in spite of a difference in the definition of serious infection.
