Association of BPD and IVH with early neutrophil and white counts in VLBW neonates with gestational age M Palta  1 , M Sadek-Badawi, D P Carlton Affiliations Expand Affiliation 1 Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA. mpalta@wisc.edu PMID: 18563166 PMCID: PMC2535919 DOI: 10.1038/jp.2008.65 Free PMC article Item in Clipboard

Abstract

Objective: To investigate associations between early low neutrophil count from routine blood samples, white blood count (WBC), pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes for very low birth weight infants (VLBW <or=1500 g) with gestational age <32 weeks.

Study design: Information was abstracted on all infants admitted to level III neonatal intensive care units in Wisconsin 2003 to 2004. A total of 1002 VLBW neonates (78%) had differential and corrected total white counts within 2 (1/2) h of birth. Data analyses included frequency tables, binary logistic, ordinal logistic and ordinary regression.

Result: Low neutrophil count (<1000 per microl) was strongly associated with low WBC, pregnancy complications and antenatal steroids. Low neutrophil count predicted bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity level (odds ratio, OR: 1.7, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1 to 2.7) and intraventricular hemorrhage grade (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.8).

Conclusion: Early neutrophil counts may have multiple causes interfering with their routine use as an inflammatory marker. Nonetheless, low neutrophil count has consistent independent associations with outcomes.