At Admission Serum Presepsin as Early Predictor for Disease Severity and Positive Blood Culture for Neonates With Early-onset Sepsis

124 neonates aged ≤7 days with suspected EOS were clinically evaluated using SNAP-II and gave blood samples for BC, total leucocytic count (TLC), lymphocytic and neutrophil count, and ELISA estimation of serum levels of PSP, procalcitonin (PCT), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Enrolled neonates were categorized as Confirmed EOS: neonates with evident clinical sepsis manifestations and positive BC, Suspected EOS: neonates with evident clinical sepsis manifestations but had negative BC and No EOS included neonates free of evident clinical sepsis manifestations, had negative BC and showed no deterioration till 72-hr after admission.