C-reactive protein (CRP) response patterns in neonatal septicaemia

C‐reactive protein (CRP) is an unreliable diagnostic tool in the early diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia. However, serial measurements have been shown to be useful in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a specific CRP response pattern to different groups of pathogens could be identified during treatment of neonatal septicaemia. Serial CRP measurements from day 1 to 4 in monomicrobial blood culture‐proven episodes of septicaemia were reviewed. In 4416 admissions, 180 out of 206 positive blood cultures were monomicrobial; 121 monomicrobial septic episodes were eligible for final analysis of the CRP response during treatment. A low median (M) value (day 1 to 4) was identified in coagulase‐negative staphylococci (CONS) (M=23 mg/l), contrasting with high median values in Staphylococcus aureus (M=58 mg/l), group B streptococci (M=51 mg/l), Escherichia coli (M=51 mg/l) and Candida species (M=76 mg/l) (p