Suspected Neonatal Sepsis: Tenth Clinical Consensus of the Ibero-American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN)

Abstract

Suspected neonatal sepsis is one of the most common diagnoses made in newborns (NBs), but very few NBs actually have sepsis. There is no international consensus to clearly define suspected neonatal sepsis, but each time that this suspected diagnosis is assumed, blood samples are taken, venous accesses are used to administer antibiotics, and the mother-child pair is separated, with prolonged hospital stays. X-rays, urine samples, and a lumbar puncture are sometimes taken. This is of concern, as generally <10% and no more than 25%-30% of the NBs in whom sepsis is suspected have proven neonatal sepsis. It seems easy to start antibiotics with suspicion of sepsis, but stopping them is difficult, although there is little or no support to maintain them. Unfortunately, the abuse of antibiotics in inpatient and outpatient NBs is foolish. Its negative impact on neonatal health and the economy is a public health problem of epidemiological and even epidemic proportions. This manuscript is a shortened version of the 10th Clinical Consensus of the Ibero-American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN) on suspected neonatal sepsis at the end of 2018, updated with publications from its completion to February 2020. This manuscript describes useful strategies for everyday neonatal practice when neonatal sepsis is suspected, along with important aspects about the indisputable value of clinical evaluation of the NB and about obtaining and interpreting blood cultures, urine cultures, and other cultures. Likewise, the low value of laboratory tests in suspected neonatal sepsis is demonstrated with evidence and clinical recommendations are made on the appropriate use of antibiotics.