Evaluating the impact of culture-guided antibiotic therapy on clinical outcomes in neonatal septicemia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a critical health issue worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in developing countries. Effective management of neonatal sepsis includes timely administration of appropriate antibiotics based on antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Aims and Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the choice of empiric and definitive antibiotics in neonatal septicemia, assess bacterial susceptibility patterns, and correlation with clinical outcomes, and highlight the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care center and enrolled neonates diagnosed with septicemia over 2 months. Blood cultures were obtained, and antibiotics were initiated empirically based on local guidelines. Definitive antibiotics were started after culture sensitivity reports and compared with empiric treatment for clinical outcomes and bacteriological profiles were analyzed with appropriate statistical methods. Results: In this study, Piperacillin-Tazobactam and Amikacin were used as empiric treatment in all cases. Meropenem showed high sensitivity in definitive treatment post-culture. No significant difference between empiric and definitive treatment groups was observed in clinical outcomes. Conclusion: This study found no significant difference in clinical outcomes between empiric and definitive antibiotic regimens for neonatal sepsis. However, high meropenem susceptibility suggests the potential for more targeted therapy. Regularly updating local antibiogram, data remain crucial to optimize empiric treatment and combat resistance in this vulnerable population.