All issues > Volume 24(6); 1981

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1981;24(6):509-516. Published online June 15, 1981.

Total Leukocyte and Polymorphonuclear Cell Counts in Relation to Gestational Age During the First 72 hours of Life.

E Boong Kwon

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.

Abstract

Serial total leukocyte and polymorphonuclear cell(PMN) counts ： were performed on 201healthy infants during- the first 72 hours of life in order to study difference according to gestational ages and to establish normal values at various postnatal periods. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the gestational ages, above 38 weeks (group I ), 32 weeks to 38 weeks (group I) and below 32 weeks (group I). Each groups were consisted of 142, 38 and 21 infants respectively. Blood samples were serially obtained at 6,12,18,24,48 and 72 hours of life in each subjects. Leukocyte count was done by Coulter ZBI method. The res-ults were as follow: In group I, number of PMN (mean±SD) were 15768±7144/cu mm at 6 hours of life, 16264±6991/cu mm at 12 hours, 15492±7284/cu mm at 18 hours, 13983±5594/cu mm at 24 hours, 11044±5980/cu mm at 48 hours and 9719土5445/cu mm at 72 hours. In group H, number of PMN were 7569±1968/cu mm at 6 hours, 8025±3759/cu mm at 12 hours, 9514+4634/ cumm at 18 hours, 11964±7447/cu mm at 24 hours, 7953±4354/cu mm at 48 hours and 6889± 3993/cu mm at 72 hours. In group H, number of PMN were 6083±2673/cu mm at 6 hours, 594G ±2128/cu mm at 12 hours, 6469±2461/cu mm at 18 hours, 9567±3376/cu mm at 24 hours, 6868± 3549/cu mm at 48 hours and 5864±2516/cu mm at 72 hours. As revealed by the above results, there is a significant difference in the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in relation to both gestational and postnatal ages. Findings from this study demonstrate that the necessity of refering to both gestational and postnatal "ages in interpreting the significance of the num-ber of polymorphonuclear cells in sick newborns.

Keywords :Total leukocyte;polymorphonuclear cell;banede neutrophil;segmented neutrophil;Gestational age