Use of lumbar puncture in the evaluation of late-onset sepsis in low birth weight neonates

• Published in: Revista peruana de medicina experimental y salud pública Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 278 - 282
• Main Authors: Zea-Vera, Alonso, Turín, Christie Gloria, Rueda, María Susana, Guillén-Pinto, Daniel, Medina-Alva, Pilar, Tori, Aldredo, Rivas, María, Zegarra, Jaime, Castañeda, Anne, Cam, Luis, Ochoa, Theresa J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Peru 01-06-2016
• Subjects: Cohort Studies; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Sepsis - diagnosis; Spinal Puncture
• ISSN: 1726-4642

The objective of this study was to analyze the use of lumbar punctures (LP) in the evaluation of late-onset neonatal sepsis. It is recommended to perform an LP as part of the evaluation of late-onset sepsis. We used a cohort of 414 newborns with a birth weight <2000g in three hospitals in Lima. A LP was performed in 45/214 (21.0%) of sepsis evaluations and in 13/48 (27.1%) of culture-proven sepsis. Meningitis was diagnosed in 8/214 (3.7%) of the episodes and 8/45 (17.5%) of the evaluations that included an LP. The duration of treatment of the sepsis episodes without a LP and the episodes with a negative LP was similar, and shorter than the episodes with a positive LP. The use of LP in the evaluation of late-onset sepsis is low and can result in undiagnosed and undertreated meningitis. The use of LP in the evaluation of neonatal sepsis must be encouraged in the neonatal units.