Evaluation of the diagnostic value of gastric juice aspirate culture for early-onset sepsis in newborns 28-35 weeks' gestation.

The aim of the study was to discuss the diagnostic value of gastric aspirate culture of early-onset sepsis in premature neonates. A retrospective study was conducted for 600 premature neonates of predisposing high-risk factors (gestation age from 28 to 35 weeks) hospitalized in neonatal unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. The culture of gastric aspirate was performed within 24 h after birth. The sepsis group and nonsepsis group were divided by diagnosis given by 3 neonatologists. The specificity of gastric aspirate on diagnosis of sepsis was analyzed. The positive rate of gastric aspirate culture in sepsis group was higher than nonsepsis group (P < 0.05). The incidence of sepsis (P < 0.05) and positive rate of gastric aspirate culture (P < 0.05) were higher after vaginal delivery. Escherichia coli were the dominant bacteria after vaginal delivery. For premature neonates born vaginally, gastric aspirate culture may have diagnostic value for sepsis.