All issues > Volume 45(3); 2002

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2002;45(3):325-330. Published online March 15, 2002.

The Change of White Blood Cell Count Following Transfusion in Preterm Neonates

Soo Young SY Yoon¹, Gum Joo GJ Lee¹, Gui Young GY Jung¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Bangjeege Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Soo Young SY Yoon ,Email: YSYSDY@medigate.net

Abstract

Purpose
: We intended to find out how the red cell transfusion would change the white cell count in preterm neonates under treatment in the intensive care unit. We also speculated whether the magnitude of such a change could indicate a potential neonatal infection.
Methods
: Total white blood cell count, total neutrophil count, and band count were compared and analyzed retrospectively on 33 preterm neonates who received red cell transfusions in our hospital's intensive care unit over a period of two years and a month.
Results
: We found a mean change of 1.33?03/mm3 and 0.55?03/mm3 in total white blood cell count and total neutrophil count in the first eight hours following the red cell transfusion. No significant change was observed in band count between pre and post-red cell transfusion.
Conclusion
: A mild increase in the white blood cell count caused by an increase in neutrophil count was observed temporarily following the red cell transfusion. But the white blood cell count returned to the pre-transfusion level in about 24 hours, indicating that such a low level of increase cannot be interpreted as an infection of a preterm neonate.

Keywords :Leukocytosis, Newborn, Sepsis, Transfusion