The use of recombinant GCSF in the prevention of hospital acquired sepsis in premature babies-a randomized double blind controlled trial

Abstract

Neonates often develop severe bacterial infections, at this age there is a failure in the quantity and quality of the phagocytic system, often associated with a neutropenia. This is usually more severe in the premature contributing to the higher mortality seen in this group. Recent publications favour the use of GCSF for the prevention of nosocomial infections. This was a prospective study to evaluate the early use of GCSF in the prevention of hospital acquired infection in preterm neonates. 34 preterms were randomized to treatment with GCSF and 34 to the placebo group. In this double blind trial there was no reduction in infections in this group of patients inspite of achieving a significant neutrophilia. Conclusions: In this trial GCSF was not useful in the prevention of nosocomial infections in premature neonates.