Clinical chemistry
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The progression to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in infected very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) infants is difficult to predict with precision at the onset of sepsis. We investigated the immunologic profiles of preterm infants with sepsis, using chemokine and cytokine measurements to predict the development of sepsis-induced DIC at the onset of infection. ⋯ IL-10, IL-6, and RANTES measured at clinical presentation sensitively and accurately predicted the development of DIC in severely infected infants. This information could be vital for early and effective treatment of neonatal sepsis.