ETIOLOGIA I OCENA CIĘŻKOŚCI POSOCZNICY U NOWORODKÓW I NIEMOWLĄT W I KWARTALE ŻYCIA.

the more difficult the diagnosis of the disease; microbiological and biochemical tests are performed in order to make the correct diagnosis. The aim of the study was to analyze the etiological factors and to assess the severity of sepsis in preterm and term born infants, hospitalized in the Department of Paediatric Propaedeutics and Bone Metabolic Diseases of Medical University in Lódz from 2000 through 2005. We included newborns (and children) with the late onset of the disease (above 7 days of life). Material and methods: 39 children were included in the study (aged from 2 weeks to 3 months of life) i.e. - 19 term born infants and 20 newborns that among 13 were preterms from 28 to 36 weeks of gestation. In the whole group 12 patients presented the very low birth weight (below 1500 g) while 4 preterm children - the weight up to 1000 g. Moreover, the presence of congenital heart abnormalities (foramen ovale apertum (FoA) (n=4), ventricular septal defect (VSD) (n=3), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) (n=2), atrial septal defect (ASD) of the ostium primum type (n=2), atrioventricular canal (CAV) (n=2), tricuspid insufficiency (IT) (n=1), pulmonary insufficiency (IP) (n=1)) was observed. The scale containing the clinical symptoms and the results of laboratory tests (proposed by Godula-Stuglik, with own modification) was applied in order to assess the severity of sepsis course. Results and conclusions: Gram-positive bacteria (coagulaso-negative Staphylococcus) were the most frequent cause of the systemic infection. Statistically significant positive correlation between the severity of sepsis and the presence of congenital defect was showed in preterm born children. In the course of sepsis coagulogram disorders appeared significantly more often in term children than in preterm ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]