Serum Progranulin as a Potential Diagnostic Predictor in Neonatal Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic power of progranulin (PGRN) in neonatal sepsis. METHODS: We enrolled 67 newborns hospitalized for sepsis or suspected infection. Serum biomarkers, including PGRN, were quantified at admission. The relationship between PGRN levels and sepsis severity, hospital stay duration, and diagnostic accuracy was analyzed. RESULTS: Neonates with sepsis exhibited elevated PGRN concentrations, which correlated directly with prolonged hospitalization. PGRN emerged as a robust prognostic biomarker for neonatal sepsis, indicating the highest predictive power (AUC: 0.956; 95% CI: 0.875-0.991; P < 0.001). At a threshold of 80.4 ng/mL, PGRN achieved 90.91% sensitivity, 80.3% specificity, and an AUC of 0.760. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that PGRN may be an excellent biomarker for early diagnosis and guiding clinical management of neonatal sepsis.