Abstract: Objective: To investigate the value of interferon-induced protein 10 (IP-10) combined with procalcitonin (PCT) and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) for the diagnosis of neonatal infection. Methods: IP-10 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, PCT was detected by double antibody sandwich immune chemiluminescence method, and hs-CRP was detected by immunoturbidimetric assay. The serum levels of IP-10, PCT and hs-CRP of newborn infants were determined at admission in 69 cases with infection, including 43 cases of bacterial infection and 26 cases of viral infection, and in 30 cases of control group. The cases in infection group were also detected after 2 days of treatment and after being cured. Results: The levels of IP-10, PCT and hs-CRP in bacterial infection group before treatment were (89.39±23.09) pg/mL, (2.08±0.30) μg/L and (10.49±6.97) mg/L, respectively, significantly higher than that in the control group (42.03±14.80) pg/mL, (0.27±0.30) μg/L and (5.39±4.20) mg/L, respectively (P<0.05). The level of IP-10 in viral infection group before treatment (62.91±6.79 pg/mL) was also higher than that in the control group but lower than that in the bacterial infection group (P<0.05). After 2 days of treatment and after being cured, levels of all the three markers were significantly decreased than that before treatment in both the two infection groups (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis for the single marker and combined 3 markers indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of IP-10 (92.3% and 94.0%) and PCT (93.1% and 9.2%) were high, while that of hs-CRP were lower (65.5% and 2.6%). The sensitivity and specificity were elevated when the 3 markers were combined (95.6% and 6.8%). Conclusions: IP-10 and PCT has a high value for predicting early bacterial infection, and IP-10 has a value for predicting viral infection. The value of hs-CRP for identifying neonatal infection is lower than that of IP-10 and PCT. The combination of the three markers further elevates the diagnostic value for detecting newborn infection.

Key words: Newborn, Infection, Interferon-induced protein 10, Procalcitonin, Hypersensitive C-reactive protein