ABSTRACT

Background: Neonatal Sepsis is associated with morbidity and increase risk of death. The clinical manifestation is very nonspecific and based on clinical suspicion, initial antibiotic therapy after obtaining blood culture.

Aim: To compare the frequency of failure of treatment in 3-day versus 7-day antibiotic treatment for probable early onset neonatal sepsis.

Methods: This study was Randomized controlled trial conducted at Neonatology unit of department of Pediatrics, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore from 1st January 2015 to 30 June 2015. Total 120 neonates of probable early onset sepsis, included in the study were divided into two groups and started with antibiotics .In the intervention arm antibiotics were stopped after the 72 hours while antibiotics were continued total of 7 days in control arm.

Results: There were no significant treatment failures between the two groups (9 babies in the 7-day group versus 7 in the short course group (p=0.424).

Conclusion: There was no difference in the rates of treatment failure that could be identified between 3-day and 7-day courses in neonates with suspected early onset neonatal sepsis.