Baseline characteristics of of the study group.

IntroductionTo determine the threshold of umbilical cord blood procalcitonin for early-onset neonatal infection diagnosis.MethodThis prospective study was conducted on 126 neonates in the neonatal care unit of Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Vietnam, from June 01, 2023 to August 31, 2024. All neonates showed signs at birth or risk factors for early-onset infection (EOI) and were divided into two groups: EOI group and non-EOI group. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected for procalcitonin analysis immediately after birth.ResultsThe median procalcitonin (PCT) levels in umbilical cord blood were significantly higher in the EOI group (0.154 ng/ml [0.092–0.197]) compared to the non-EOI group (0.097 ng/ml [0.082–0.134]; p ConclusionsUmbilical cord blood PCT concentration were elevated in neonates with EOI. PCT could be a valuable marker for the early diagnosis of EOI.