J Korean Soc Neonatol.  1998 Jun;5(1):35-39.

Predicting Intraventricular Hemorrhage by the Nucleated Erythrocytes Counts in Preterm Neonates

• Jeon YS
• Shin JS
• Cheoh KC

Abstract

PURPOSE: Prolonged fetal hypoxia stimulates erythropoiesis in fetal life and induces increased nucleated erythrocytes(NRBC) counts at the early newborn period. To evaluate the relationship between prolonged fetal hypoxia and neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and the prediction of neonatal IVH by neonatal NRBC.
METHODS
We compared the daily courses of the absolute NRBC count in preterm new- boms at 34 weeks' gestation or earlier with(n=17) and without(n=20) IVH for 7 days of life. RESULTS: Absolute NRBC counts at birth were higher in neonates with IVH than in control neonates(2,499/mm3+/-3,748 and 412/mm3+/-272, respectively, P=0.0022). The cut-off value of 1,000/mm3 for absolute NRBC counts at birth showed the best parameter estimate of the predictive model for IVH at early newborn period with 100% of positive predictive value and 74.1% of negative predictive value.
CONCLUSION
Prolonged fetal hypoxia inducing fetal erythropoiesis near labor is closely related to IVH at early newborn period. Thabsolute NRBC counts at birth is the very important predictable marker for the condition.

Keyword

Nucleated erythrocytes(NRBC); Intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH); Fetal hypoxia; Cut-offvalue

MeSH Terms

Erythroblasts*
Erythropoiesis
Fetal Hypoxia
Hemorrhage*
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
Parturition
Pregnancy