Pentaglobin as an adjunct therapy in very low birthweight neonates with nosocomial sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of pentaglobin treatment on clinical and laboratory parametres and the major morbidities in very low birthweight neonates with nosocomial sepsis before and after pentaglobin treatment.

METHODS: The prospective interventional study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2010, at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Pentaglobin was initiated on the day of diagnosis of nosocomial sepsis to 13 pre-term neonates as a support therapy in addition to antibiotics; 5 ml/kg per day of pentaglobin was infused over a 4-hour period on 3 consecutive days. Clinical and laboratory parametres and major morbidities were recorded before and after pentaglobin treatment and compared using NCSS software.

RESULTS: Of the total, 8 (66%) were females and 5 (40%) males. Following pentaglobin therapy, the immature-to-total neutrophil ratio and C-reactive protein levels were significantly decreased, and the capillary pH and base excess were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The axillary temperature, non-invasive blood pressure, haemoglobin, leukocyte, and thrombocyte values did not significantly differ before and after treatment (p > 0.05). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 3; 23%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 2; 15.3%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1; 7.7%) were identified in blood cultures. The presence of intraventricular haemorrhages, necrotising enterocolitis, periventricular leukomalacia, and patent ductus arteriosus was not changed following the treatment. Adverse effects and mortality were not observed during or after the therapy.

CONCLUSION: Pentaglobin treatment of nosocomial sepsis could be used as an adjunct therapy without any adverse short-term reactions, even in very low birthweight pre-term infants.