Diagonostic Accuracy of Umbilical Cord Blood Culture Versus Peripheral Venous Blood Culture in Newborn Babies with High Risk Factors for Neonatal Sepsis - A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: The gold standard investigation for diagnosing NS is the culture of peripheral venous blood. Though not used routinely blood samples collected from the umbilical cord are a non-invasive and painless technique not require any special skill.

Aim:  To compare the diagnostic accuracy of umbilical cord blood culture and peripheral venous blood culture in newborn babies with high-risk factors for neonatal sepsis. Objective -To assess the diagnostic accuracy of umbilical cord blood culture versus peripheral venous blood culture concerning specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value. 

Materials and Method-  It was a Cross-sectional study, done in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central India from January 2021 to December 2023. 100 newborn babies with high risk factors for neonatal sepsis were included and babies with life-threatening congenital anomalies and those born outside the study setting were excluded. Under all aseptic precautions, umbilical cord blood and peripheral venous blood were collected and it was sent to the laboratory immediately for culture and detection of micro-organisms. Appropriate statistical tests were applied.

Results: Of the 100 neonates included in our study, UCBC showed growth in 24% of cases, whereas PVBC showed high positivity with growth in 67% of the cases. The positive predictive value for UCBC was 58.33%, compared to 40.30% for PVBC. PVBC had a negative predictive value of 87.88%, compared to 77.63 % in UCBC. Accuracy was better in UCBC (76%) than in PVBC (56%).

Conclusion: PVBC had high sensitivity, in contrast to UCBC, which had a sensitivity. On the other hand, UCBC had high specificity compared to PVBC. UCBC had a better positive predictive value compared to PVBC, while the latter had a better negative predictive value. Accuracy was better in UCBC compared to PVBC.