Effect of Recombinant Human Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor to Neutropenic Low Birth Weight Infants of Mothers with Preeclampsia

Cho, Bin; Sung, In Kyung; Kim, Hack Ki

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Almost 50% of infants born to mothers with preeclampsia have neutropenia and are at increased risk of having early-onset sepsis and nosocomial infection. In neutropenic children, recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(rhG-CSF) increase circulating neutrophils and bone marrow neutrophil storage pools, improves neutrophil function, and results in fewer bacterial infections. We examined circulating neutrophil counts after administration of rhG-CSF to neutropenic neonates of mothers with preeclampsia. METHOD: Subjects were selected from premature(gestational age<36 weeks) and low birth weight infants(<2,500 g) born with preeclampsia at the St. Mary's Hospital between January, 1996 and July, 1997. The rhG-CSF was administered as an subcutaneous injection, 10 microgram/kg per dose. The first dose was given before 24 hours of age, and the medication was given at 24-hour intervals for three doses. We selected control infants with matched subjects for gestational age and birth weight with normal neutrophil count.
Results
1) Initial WBC counts of the study infants, obtained at birth-day, were not significantly different from the WBCs of study infants(t-test. P>0.05). 2) Absolute neutrophil counts(ANCs) in rhG-CSF-treated infants at 24, 48 and 72 hours of age were significantly higher than initila ANCs at birth(P<0.05). 3) ANCs in control group at 24 and 48 hours of age were not significantly different from initial ANCs at birth(t-test, P>0.05), but significantly lower at 72 and 96 hour of age(t-test, P<0.05). 4) ANCs in rhG-CSF treated infants at 24 and 48 hours of age were significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.05), but at 72 and 96 hours of age, there were not significant difference between ANCs in treated infants and those in control group(P<0.05). Conclusoin: rhG-CSF promote a rapid increase in circulating neutrophils in netropenic low birth weight infants of mothers with preeclampsia.