Can neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio be a predictor of lateonset sepsis in preterm infants?

Abstract

Aim: Late-onset sepsis (LOS) persists to be a crucial reason of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Studying the effect ofneutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value in predicting the LOS episode and relation with the type of the growing microorganism werethe aim of this study.Material and Methods: Preterm infants were classified as two groups in accordance with having culture proven LOS during the stayin neonatal intensive care unit. Premature infants with culture proven LOS was defined as study group and infants with no-LOS ascontrol group. Study group is consisting of two subgroups in terms of the growing microorganism type. NLR values were comparedwithin and between the groups.Results: Overall, final analysis were applied to 116 infants. NLR values were raised in the study group during LOS episode (p