Hematocrit in relation to Apgar scores in SGA infants.
SGA infants have an increased incidence of low Apgar scores. At the same time they frequently have a high hematocrit. Since both affect outcome, it is important to know if a relationship exists between these two factors. In a study of 139 SGA newborns many had low Apgar scores at one minute: 63% of the preterms and 29% of the fullterms. Frequent abnormal hematological findings included high hematocrit. We found a positive correlation between hematocrit and the Apgar score at one minute of life that was statistically significant. The babies with a high hematocrit had significantly more often good Apgar scores. The correlation was present in preterm babies (r = 0.55) as well as in fullterms (r = 0.32). It is concluded that a high hematocrit probably protects the SGA newborn against acute perinatal asphyxia. It is possible that both low Apgar scores and "normal" hematocrit are signs of a chronically impaired SGA fetus.
De Grauw
T J
TJ
Department of Pediatrics, Free University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Budde
H
H
Samsom
J F
JF
Hopkins
M B
MB
D001034:Apgar Score; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies