Screening of sepsis using leukocyte cell population data from the Coulter automatic blood cell analyzer DxH800.

We determined the utility of leukocyte cell population data (CPD) for the screening of sepsis and fungemia. Blood culture-positive CBC samples, 117 bacteremia and 27 fungemia, and 134 CBC samples from healthy controls were analyzed using the DxH800 and CPD of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were analyzed. Immature granulocytes (IG) were counted using Sysmex XE-2100. The neutrophils and monocytes volume were increased significantly, and the neutrophils light scattering values were reduced significantly in the sepsis samples. ROC curves evidenced excellent sensitivity in the lymphocyte SD parameters (sensitivity 78-89%, specificity 78-87%), monocytes volume (at 177.5, sensitivity 88.2% specificity 87.3%), and monocytes volume SD (at 22.16, sensitivity 93.1% specificity 91.0%) for sepsis. The IG value was significantly higher in sepsis and the ROC curve evidenced a sensitivity of 82.8% and a specificity of 90.8% for sepsis. Only lower angle light scatter of lymphocytes SD value evidenced good sensitivity and specificity in the discrimination of fungemia from bacteremia (sensitivity 74.1%, specificity 72.4% at 12.6). Many of the leukocyte CPD have been identified as useful parameters of sepsis. Hopefully, these parameters can ultimately be incorporated into a decision rule for the screening of sepsis samples and to discriminate fungemia from bacteremia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]