Mohammad Bagher Hosseini - Pediatric Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Shahram Abdoli Oskouei - School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Fariba Heidari - School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Amin Sadat Sharif - School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background: Sepsis is one of the most important causes of death in infants. The pattern of bacterial agents responsible for neonatal septicemia changes over time. The main aim of the present study was to provide a clinical guideline adapted for treatment of neonatal sepsis based on the frequency of microbial agents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Alzahra Hospital, Tabriz, Iran.Methods: The clinical guideline adaptation is conducted based on the ADAPTE Resource Toolkit for Guideline Adaptation (version 2.0) from December 2016 to January 2018. For data collection, the specialized websites were identified, then an internet search method was used for gaining clinical guidelines and medical literature databases. A panel was established with members of multi-specialties and the obtained guidelines were examined and evaluated. In the end, the final guideline was selected and translated.Results: Regarding the guideline, employing antibiotics should start when the neonate is < 35 weeks and premature rupture of membrane (PROM) happened < 18 h. Moreover, it could be employed when the neonate did not receive antibiotics, the gestational age (GA) is < 35 weeks with a PROM < 18 h or a GA < 37 weeks with a PROM ≥ 18 h. Conclusion: Implementation of the neonatal sepsis treatment guideline leads to a unified method of treatment, reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance, and decreases the mortality and morbidity associated with sepsis.

Antibiotic Treatment, Clinical Guideline, Microbial Agents, Neonatal sepsis