Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the role of D-dimer in identifying neonatal sepsis and their potential value in clinical decision-making due to challenges in early detection. METHODOLOGY: A case-control study was conducted on 102 neonates at the Children's Clinical Hospital "Louis Turcanu" in Timisoara, Romania, from October 2018 to July 2023. The participants were divided into two groups: those with neonatal sepsis and those without sepsis. RESULTS: The study found that neonates with sepsis were more likely to be delivered by cesarean section and had higher rates of premature ruptured membranes compared to those without sepsis. The D-dimer biomarker's predictive value for sepsis was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, with an area under the curve (AUC) exceeding 0.982 and an optimum cutoff value of 342 ng/mL. An increase in neonatal D-dimer significantly increases the likelihood of sepsis by 2.7% per unit increase. A value above 250 ng/mL indicates a 127-fold increased likelihood of sepsis. The D-dimer's ability to predict mortality in newborns with sepsis is unsatisfactory, with an AUC of 0.528. CONCLUSIONS: D-dimer, a potential biomarker of neonatal sepsis, warrants further clinical investigation to enhance diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, demonstrating its potential in conjunction with other sepsis markers.