Neonatology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Use of procalcitonin-guided decision-making to shorten antibiotic therapy in suspected neonatal early-onset sepsis: prospective randomized intervention trial.
Diagnosis of neonatal early-onset sepsis is difficult because clinical signs and laboratory tests are non-specific. Early antibiotic therapy is crucial for treatment success. ⋯ Serial PCT determinations allow to shorten the duration of antibiotic therapy in term and near-term infants with suspected early-onset sepsis. Before this PCT-guided strategy can be recommended, its safety has to be confirmed in a larger cohort of neonates.