Study on Platelet Counts and Indices in Neonates

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The platelet number alone does not give a complete picture of platelet maturity and function, therefore, the platelet indices have been the subject of intensive study in recent years, but they have not been firmly established in the neonates. METHODS: Blood samples collected in K2 EDTA bottle from femoral vein of 176 neonates (54 healthy fullterm, 96 sick fullterm, 10 sick preterm, 9 healthy preterm and 7 healthy small for gestational age) were analyzed with CELL-DYN 1600. RESULTS: 1) Platelet counts (PC) and platelet indices of 70 healthy neonates correlated neither with gestational age, nor with birth weight. 2) Significant correlations were found between PC and plateletcrit and between PC and mean platelet volume with the correlation coefficients being 0.937 and -0.284 respectively. Other indices did not show any significant correlation. 3) There were no significant differences of PC and platelet indices between healthy neonates and sick neonates, between healthy fullterm and sick fullterm, between healthy preterm and sick preterm, between healthy fullterm and healthy preterm, and between healthy fullterm and healthy small for gestational age. 4) Sick fullterm neonates suffering certain diseases showed altered indices, compared with healthy fullterm neonates. In diarrhea, PC, plateletcrit and platelet distribution width were higher than those in healthy fullterm neonates. In hyperbilirubinemia and urinary tract infection, PC and plateletcrit were higher, whereas in sepsis, platelet distribution width was lower. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that PC and platelet indices of healthy neonates did not correlate with gestational age, nor with birth weight, and show some significant correlations between PC and platelet indicies. Further studies will be needed in clinical application of platelet indices to each neonatal disease.