Neonatal hyperviscosity: randomized study of effect of partial plasma exchange transfusion on long-term outcome.
The use of partial plasma exchange transfusion in newborns with polycythemia and hyperviscosity was evaluated. Ninety-three infants with polycythemia and hyperviscosity were randomly assigned to receive either partial plasma exchange transfusion or symptomatic treatment; the infants were matched with control infants without polycythemia. Neonatal course and outcome at 1 and 2 years were evaluated for each of the three groups. Polycythemic infants had more fine motor and speech problems at 1 year of age than did control infants. At 2 years of age, polycythemic infants had more gross motor delays, neurologic diagnoses, fine motor abnormalities, and speech delays than did the control infants. There was no significant difference at 1 year between the polycythemic infants who had received partial plasma exchange transfusion and those given only symptomatic care. At 2 years, the group receiving partial plasma exchange transfusion had fewer neurologic diagnoses and fine motor abnormalities.
D001809:Blood Viscosity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006400:Hematocrit; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy