EC Paediatrics

Objectives: The diagnosis of sepsis is used quite often in babies with no specific other diagnoses. Sepsis is the biggest cause of deaths in newborns all over the world. As per the latest NFHS-5 data in India - Sepsis accounts for over 50% neonatal deaths in India. 

Methods: The author presents 3 different cases in his experience to explain the complexity of the diagnosis. We present 3 cases - with 3 different outcomes to explain, that sepsis per se is NOT a diagnosis - it is just incomplete without evidence in this modern world of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM).

Results: Is sepsis being over diagnosed? Is sepsis really so high - are we investigating them appropriately?

Conclusion: The diagnosis of sepsis should be restricted to babies with no other cause. Sepsis should be a diagnosis of exclusion. Any baby with sepsis - should have no other underlying cause like metabolic disease or some other pre-disposing conditions leading to sepsis as the terminal cause. Hence sepsis use should be restricted in neonates with proper evaluations to get an accurate estimation of the incidence.

 Keywords: Sepsis; Neonatal Septicaemia; Metabolic Disease

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