Boscarelli A. Role of plasma D-dimer levels as diagnostic and prognostic marker in neonatal sepsis: An insightful support. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(1): 115780 [PMID: 41884025 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.115780]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Alessandro Boscarelli, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, Trieste 34137, Italy. alessandro.boscarelli@burlo.trieste.it
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Pediatrics
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letter
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Boscarelli A. Role of plasma D-dimer levels as diagnostic and prognostic marker in neonatal sepsis: An insightful support. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(1): 115780 [PMID: 41884025 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.115780]
World J Clin Pediatr. Mar 9, 2026; 15(1): 115780 Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.115780
Role of plasma D-dimer levels as diagnostic and prognostic marker in neonatal sepsis: An insightful support
Alessandro Boscarelli
Alessandro Boscarelli, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste 34137, Italy
Author contributions: Boscarelli A is fully accountable for conceiving, writing the initial draft, reviewing, and editing.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares that he has no conflict of interest to disclose.
Corresponding author: Alessandro Boscarelli, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, Trieste 34137, Italy. alessandro.boscarelli@burlo.trieste.it
Received: October 25, 2025 Revised: November 6, 2025 Accepted: December 4, 2025 Published online: March 9, 2026 Processing time: 132 Days and 17.9 Hours
Abstract
Neonatal sepsis remains a serious health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical diagnosis at presentation is often challenging due to nonspecific signs and symptoms. Laboratory biomarkers, blood cultures, and other diagnostic/prognostic tools such as the hematological scoring system developed by Rodwell and the neonatal organ failure assessment are not considered reliable for routine clinical use. Basiouny et al conducted a two-center prospective case-control study investigating the diagnostic and prognostic utility of D-dimer and heparin-binding protein in neonatal sepsis. Despite several limitations of their study, the present research provides novel insight into the role of plasma D-dimer levels in the diagnosis and prognosis of neonatal sepsis. While future multicenter studies with larger patient populations are required, these findings suggest the utility of D-dimer inclusion into sepsis multi-marker diagnostic models for newborns in order to complement rather than replace existing tools.
Core Tip: Despite advances in neonatal care, sepsis remains a serious health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical diagnosis at presentation is often challenging due to nonspecific signs and symptoms. Laboratory biomarkers, blood cultures, and other diagnostic/prognostic tools are not considered reliable for routine clinical use. Basiouny et al conducted a two-center prospective case-control study investigating the diagnostic and prognostic utility of D-dimer and heparin-binding protein in neonatal sepsis. While future multicenter studies with larger patient populations are required, these findings indicate the utility of D-dimer inclusion in sepsis diagnostic models.
