Diagnostics of septicaemia in childhood by coagulation parameters.

The diagnostic importance of coagulation parameters was tested in 438 children with septicaemia by discriminant analysis. The values of 756 patients with other diseases had been analysed for comparison. After the selection of the parameters by multivariate analyses discriminant functions were calculated for different subgroups. The best discriminant functions were found for septic newborns up to the age of 3 days. Their use may be helpful for diagnostics in practice. A more weak discrimination power was evident in newborns beyond the 3rd day of life. A simultaneous comparison of 7 subgroups of newborns with different illnesses by 3 discriminant functions led to lower sensitivity rate and don't suit for practice. Beyond the postnatal period the diagnostic importance of coagulation parameters for septicemia is even lower. The low reparation capacity of thrombopoiesis in neonates may be a cause for the good discriminant functions for septicaemia. The reason for the better discrimination in the newborns up to the 3rd day could be the more profound defects in the coagulation system.