ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was conducted to investigate the mean nRBC count in very low births weight infants (VLBWIs) and to determine the usefulness of the nRBC as an independent prognostic factors of perinatal complications in VLBWIs. METHODS: This study was conducted on 112 VLBWIs who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the author's hospital within the period from March 2003 to and May 2008. Based on the infants' nucleated red blood cells (nRBC) counts at birth, on the third day after birth, on the seventh day after birth, in the second week after birth, and in the fourth week after birth in the medical records, the correlation between nRBC or absolute nRBC counts with birth weight, gestational age, and other perinatal outcomes were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: In VLBWIs, their mean nRBC and absolute nRBC counts were showing a gradual decrease after birth, and they were consisteantly kept at low values since one week after and inversely proportional to the birth weights. The mean nRBC counts based on the stage after birth showed a significant correlation with perinatal death, necrotizing enterocolitis, and severe intraventricular hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The increase in the nRBC count showed a significant correlation with having a severe intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and perinatal death in VLBWIs. If an increase or no decrease in the nRBC count after birth is observed, newborn-infant care precautions should be required.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Birth Weight , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing , Erythrocytes , Gestational Age , Hemorrhage , Infant, Premature , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight , Intensive Care, Neonatal , Medical Records , Parturition , Prognosis , Reference Values , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
A 12-year-old female with histiocytosis X accompanied by autoimmune hemolytic anemia. During the episode of hemolysis, the hemoglobin level fell to 5.2 g/dL. The direct antiglobulin test was weakly positive. The anti-C and anti-e were identified in her serum. The Rh subgroup of her family(father, mother and brother) including the patient, were all same as DCe. The antibodies which showed anti-C and anti-e specificity were confirmed autoanti-Ce(non-separable) using the serum absorbed with various known Rh phenotyped RBCs. Two packed RBCs phenotyped as DeE were transfused for correction of anemia. Acute and delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions were not noted after transfusion. Identification of blood group specific autoantibodies may be benificial in such case for blood transfusion.