BIOMARKER PROFILES AS PREDICATORS OF NEONATAL SEPSIS AND RECOVERY

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Sepsis is a frequent and serious problem in neonatal ICU?s, particularly in very low birth weight infants (VLBW). Diagnosis by blood culture is difficult, time consuming, and lacks sensitivity. Over 20% of all VLBW infants experience one or more episodes of late onset sepsis (defined as any sepsis occurring after 3 days of age). The median age for the first episode of late onset sepsis is 17 days. Delaying treatment until symptoms arise can be life threatening. Recurrent treatment with antibiotics in infants not infected holds the potential risk of the development of resistant organisms. This is an ideal population to develop a rapid, sensitive product to identify infection. Newborns [especially premature or VLBW] are at much greater risk for life-threatening infections than older children and adults. Diagnosing these infections is difficult with current laboratory methods. Because of the life-threatening nature of these infections, infants in the NICU are almost always placed on powerful antibiotics until we can confirm whether or not an infection is truly present. The purpose of this study is to investigate a new laboratory method of diagnosing infections in newborns using a single drop of blood where we can test for markers of infection. We intend to compare these tests with current methods in order to find out if we can diagnose serious infections more quickly. This may allow us to avoid treating infants with antibiotics when they are not needed.