Abstract
Objective:
To investigate associations between early low neutrophil count from routine blood samples, white blood count (WBC), pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes for very low birth weight infants (VLBW ⩽1500 g) with gestational age <32 weeks.
Study Design:
Information was abstracted on all infants admitted to level III neonatal intensive care units in Wisconsin 2003 to 2004. A total of 1002 VLBW neonates (78%) had differential and corrected total white counts within 2 ½ h of birth. Data analyses included frequency tables, binary logistic, ordinal logistic and ordinary regression.
Result:
Low neutrophil count (<1000 per μl) was strongly associated with low WBC, pregnancy complications and antenatal steroids. Low neutrophil count predicted bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity level (odds ratio, OR: 1.7, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1 to 2.7) and intraventricular hemorrhage grade (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.8).
Conclusion:
Early neutrophil counts may have multiple causes interfering with their routine use as an inflammatory marker. Nonetheless, low neutrophil count has consistent independent associations with outcomes.
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Source of funding: 5 RO1 HL38149-17 ‘Risk Factors in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia’
The Newborn Lung Project involved the following investigators and project and center coordinators:
Coordinating Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin: Dr Mari Palta, Principal Investigator, Dr Mona Sadek-Badawi, Project Director, Aggie Albanese, Kathleen Madden, Lisa Loder, and Tanya Watson;
Dr Christopher Green, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin;
Dr David Carlton and Karin Smylie (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Meriter Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin);
Dr Jeffrey Garland, Roberta Einsiedel, Kathy Weaver and Jackie Sevallius (St Joseph′s Regional Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin);
Dr Chandra Shivpuri, Susan Plachinski, and Karen Dorfler (Sinai Samaritan Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin);
Dr James Opitz, Sandy Freeman, MaryAnne Lach, and Angie Linneman (St Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, Wisconsin);
Dr Marie Weinstein and Laura Ziebarth (St Mary′s Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin);
Dr Paul Meyers, Denise Turnmeyer, and Pamela Verhagen (Children′s Hospital of Fox Valley, Neenah, Wisconsin);
Dr Joseph Brand and Lana Reinke (St Vincent Hospital, Green Bay, Wisconsin);
Dr John Wolf, Jane Friday and Joan Hintz (Columbia - St Mary′s Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin);
Dr Nancy Herrell and Sharon Nelson (Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, Wisconsin);
Dr P Sasidharan (Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin);
Dr Gregory Milleville, Melissa Grooms and Carolyn Kraly (Aurora Women′s Pavilion, West Allis, Wisconsin);
Dr David.Sheftel, Michelle Stampa, Monica DaPra, Sandy Anderson and Diane Fiebig (St Luke's Hospital, Racine, Wisconsin);
Dr Jeffrey Thompson, Shawn Dunlap (Gunderson Lutheran Hospital - La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin);
Dr Dennis Costakos, Karen Smith and Lynn Dahlen (Franciscan Skemp Hospital, La Crosse, Wisconsin);
Dr Howard Kidd, Nicole Stephani and Tracy Heiman (St Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton, Wisconsin);
Dr Frank Mattia and Patti Davis (Aurora BayCare, Green Bay, Wisconsin);
Dr Lee A. Muscovitz and Deborah Peters (St Mary's Hospital, Duluth, Minnesota).
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Palta, M., Sadek-Badawi, M. & Carlton, D. Association of BPD and IVH with early neutrophil and white counts in VLBW neonates with gestational age <32 weeks. J Perinatol 28, 604–610 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.65
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.65
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