Pulse oximetry as screening test for early-onset sepsis in newborns in tertiary care hospital.

Abstract

Among the major causes Sepsis plays a crucial role in neonatal mortality. Recent studies have shown that hypoxemia, which is reduction of oxygen saturation in arterial blood is closely related to the neonatal infections. So by detecting these hypoxemic condition of the newborn in the initial few hours of birth by using pulse oximetry screening ,there was reduction in neonatal mortality and neonatal morbidity rates.A Prospective Observational study research design was adopted for this study. All asymptomatic newborns born after 35 weeks gestational age were screened on two occasions using pulse oximetry. Newborns with oxygen saturations below predened thresholds (reading below 90% or the repeat readings remained between 90 to 94%) were dened as test positive and all these babies underwent a septic screen which included full blood count, Creactive protein, blood cultures and chest x-ray. Test negative newborns were followed up in the out patient department to ascertain if they were diagnosed to have sepsis in the rst week. A total of 97 eligible newborns were screened. Four (4/97, 4.1%) newborns were tested positive and among them one baby had signicant radiological abnormality.All test negative newborns were followed up and none had evidence of early onset sepsisat follow up.This study demonstrates that it is feasible to use pulse oximetry to screen for early onset sepsis in asymptomatic newborns