All issues > Volume 37(1); 1994

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1994;37(1):47-53. Published online January 15, 1994.

Analysis on the Cause of Eosinophilia in Premature Infants

Woo Sik WS Kang¹, Suck Kyu SK Hur¹, Mee Kyung MK Namgoong¹, Hwang Min HM Kim¹, Baek Keun BK Lim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea, Department of Radiology

Abstract

Eosinophilia is a common finding in premature babies during the neonatal period. Serial eosinophil counts were determined in 94 hospitalized, appropriately grown premature infants whose gestational ages ranged from 28 to 36 weeks. The incidence, sseverity and etiologic factors of eosinophila were retrospectively studied in premature infants, who were divided into three groups according to their gestational age. The results were as follows: 1) Absolute eosinophila (>700/mm3) was documented in 46.8% (44/94). 2) The duration of TPN and antibiotics was significantly higher in infants with eosinophila than without eosinophila (p<0.05). The gestational age of the infants with eosinophila was significantly shorter than that of the infants without eosinophila (p<0.05). The infants with eosinophila started with bottle feeding significantly earlier than the infants without eosinophila (p<0.050. 3) The infants younger than 30 weeks of gestational age have greater incidence of eosinophila (75%) than the infants with the gestational age between 34 and 36 weeks (34.3%)(p<0.05). 4) The incidence of mild eosinophila was higher in the group with gestatinal age 30 weeks or below (37.5%) than in the group with gestational age between 34 and 36 week (17.1%)(p<0.05). Also, the incidence of severe eosinophila was significantly higher in the group with gestational age 30 weeks or below (37.5%) than in the group with gestational age between 34 and 36 weeks (17.1%)(p<0.05). 5) Eosinophila was more prevalent in the infants who received parenteral nutrition composed of glucose, amino acid and lipid(77.8%) than the infants who received only glucose(34.1%)(p<0.05). 6) Gestational age an birth weight were significantly lower in infants with severe eosinophila than those of mild or moderate eosinophila. The duration of TPN and antibiotics were significantly longer in infants with wevere eosinophila than those of mild or moderate eosinophila (p<0.05). 7) The peak eosinophil count was observed significantly later in severe eosinophilic grou (26.5¡¾13.1days) than in non- eosinophilic group (14.4¡¾90days)(p<0.05). The above results suggest that eosinophila in premature infants may be the effects of immature immunologic responses to the intravenous administratio of external antigens like amino acid, lipid and antibiotics.

Keywords :Eosinophilia, Premature