Current diagnostic criteria of neonatal sepsis and systemic inflammatory response in the fetus and the newborn
Abstract
Neonatal sepsis (NS) is one of the most serious complications of the neonatal period with high mortality and severe long-term morbidity. Neonatal sepsis is currently also very often the cause of litigations between the child's legal guardians and health care providers.
Adequate diagnosis and early therapy of NS are essential factors that can affect the child's prognosis. However, optimal management of NS depends not only on the exact assessment of available clinical and laboratory data of the newborn, but also on the precise analysis of the course of pregnancy and childbirth.
In this comprehensive paper, authors present the complex issue of NS, the basic classification of neonatal sepsis, current definitions of NS, recommended clinical and laboratory procedures in the diagnosis of NS, fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, SIRS) in the neonate and the new organ failure scoring system.