The Relationship Between Blood Culture, C-reactive Protein, and Neonatal Sepsis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Sepsis is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis may be difficult because the clinical presentations are often nonspecific. Neonatal sepsis may have an early onset (zero to three days) or a late onset (four days or later). Onset is most rapid in premature neonates. In this study, we aimed to assess the correlation between positive cultures, high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Methodology This descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study was undertaken over four months starting from December 15, 2019, to April 15, 2020, in Atbara Teaching Hospital, Sudan. Data were collected from 71 patients. CRP levels were measured, and blood cultures were performed. Results High CRP level >10 mg/L was seen in patients having positive blood culture (55.3%), mainly in preterm babies (CRP >10 mg/dL (61.1%), positive culture (55.6%)) and very low birth weight babies (CRP >10 mg/dL (83.3%) and positive culture (67%)). Conclusions Our findings suggest that Klebsiella is an important cause of neonatal sepsis. CRP was positive in babies mainly with proven sepsis. There is a high correlation between CRP and blood culture in patients with neonatal sepsis which may give access to remodeling the prioritization of the management options in the clinical setting.

Expert opinion on management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in Qatar.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic-relapsing inflammatory skin disorder, manifests with intense itching and eczematous lesions impairing quality of life. A heterogeneous population, and regional clinical practices for treating AD warrant the development of guidelines in Qatar. Therefore, guidelines for the management of moderate-to-severe AD in Qatar have been developed and discussed. Experts, including dermatologists and immunologists, used the Delphi technique for developing guidelines. Consensus was defined as ≥75% agreement or disagreement. AD is highly prevalent in primary and tertiary dermatology centers. AD-associated foot eczema and psoriasiform eczema are more frequent in Qatar than in Europe or USA. SCORing Atopic Dermatitis Index quantifies disease severity and itch. Dermatology Life Quality Index assesses the quality of life. Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool assesses long-term disease control. Moderate-severe AD benefits from new topicals like Janus-kinase-inhibitors or PDE4-inhibitors combined with phototherapy. Currently approved systemic agents are dupilumab, baricitinib, abrocitinib, and upadacitinib. New anti-IL-13 and anti-IL-31 therapies will soon be available. Patient education, allergy testing, and comorbidity consideration are critical in the management of AD. The expert panel established a comprehensive and pragmatic approach to managing moderate-to-severe AD, thereby assisting clinical decision-making for healthcare professionals in Qatar.