Abstract:
Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns. It accounts
more than one third of neonatal deaths in Ethiopia. Identifying, preventing, and prompt management
of factors predicting this burden will reduce impacts associated with neonatal sepsis.
Objective: To assess treatment outcome of neonatal sepsis and its predictors among neonates
admitted to pediatric ward of Jimma University Medical Center, South-West Ethiopia.
Methods: A Hospital based prospective cohort study was conducted at Jimma University Medical
Center. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was collected between May1
and July 31, 2018 G.C. Data was coded and entered intoEpi data4.2 then exported to the Statistical
Package for Social Science 20 for analysis. Descriptive analysis was done to present baseline
characteristics with Chi-squared test (χ2). Bivariate Cox regression was done to see associations
between the dependent and independent variables. Multivariate Cox-regression analysis was
conducted to evaluate the predictors of mortality. Variables having P-values < 0.05 was considered as
statistically significant.
Results: The study included 201 neonates (62.2% were males) with clinically diagnosed sepsis
patients admitted to pediatrics ward of Jimma University medical center. From this 45(22.4%)
incidence of in hospital death were recorded. The mean length of hospital stay was 10.50 ± 7.237days.
About 37.3% of neonatal sepsis patients developed in hospital complication. Male gender [AHR=
0.32, 95%CI, [0.16-.66], P=0.002], neonatal age at admission ≤7days (EONS) [AHR= 4.82, 95%CI,
[1.82-12.78], P=0.002], urban residency of the family [AHR= 2.38, 95%CI, [1.13-5.02], P=0.023],
maternal age >35years [AHR= 3.86, 95%CI, [1.50-9.87], P=0.005], convulsion [AHR= 2.87, 95%CI,
[1.34-6.14], P=0.006], hypothermia [AHR= 4.16, 95%CI, [1.58-10.91], P=0.004], low red blood cell
count [AHR= 3.65, 95%CI, [1.80-7.39], P<0.001], and thrombocytosis [AHR= 5.10, 95%CI, [1.94-
13.40],P=0.001] were independent predictors of in hospital mortality.
Conclusion and Recommendation: Neonatal sepsis contributes high mortality. It is important to pay
attention to septicemic babies with any of the identified predictors of mortality such as neonatal age at
admission ≤7days (EONS), family urban residency, maternal age >35years, patients presented with
convulsion and hypothermia at admission, low red blood cell count, and thrombocytosis.
