Are vital signs indicative for bacteremia in newborns?

Objective: Neonatal systemic infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality both in industrialized and developing countries. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate if vital signs had a predictive power in neonatal sepsis as an early marker. Methods: This study was designed as a matched case-control study. Vital signs were monitorized prior to infection in newborns that had healthcare-associated blood stream infection (BSI). Maximum and minimum values of the vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature) of the babies at rest were recorded from the nurse observation charts five days prior to clinical sepsis and compared with vital signs of healthy, age-matched babies. Results: Maximum mean heart rates, respiratory rates and systolic blood pressure levels of the patients in BSI group were significantly higher than the control group in the past three days prior to clinical deterioration. Conclusion: Monitoring vital signs closely might be helpful in a newborn infant to define a BSI. In future, a respiratory and blood pressure predictive monitoring system such as heart rate variability index may be developed for newborn patients with sepsis.