The Role of Inter-Alpha Inhibitor Proteins in the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis

We evaluated Inter-alpha inhibitor proteins (IaIp) as a diagnostic marker in neonatal sepsis. Samples were collected from 573 neonates who were examined for suspected sepsis. IaIp level was significantly lower in the septic group (121 +/- 71 mg/L) than in the non-septic group (322 +/- 91 mg/L). The optimal cutoff value with the receiver operating characteristic curve was <= 177 mg/L (sensitivity. 89.5%; specificity, 99%; positive predictive value. 95%; negative predictive value, 98%) with area under the curve of 0.94. IaIp is a more reliable diagnostic marker for neonatal sepsis than other available tests. (J Pediatr 2009;154:620-2)