Polymorphonuclear elastase in neonatal sepsis.

Quantitative analysis of polymorphonuclear elastase was carried out in 135 newborn infants during the first 28 days of life. In 15 neonates with septicaemia, significantly increased PMN-elastase activity (range 75 to 700 micrograms/l: P less than 0.0001) was observed at the time of recognition of infection. Cut-off level 65 micrograms/l. Normalisation of the elastase activities was observed only under real recovery of the patients. It is concluded that plasma elastase determination serves as a sensitive indicator of systemic infection in neonatology, and as a good parameter for monitoring the course of the disease, because PMN-elastase correlates with the clinical condition of the patient.