Differentiation of segmented and band neutrophils during the early newborn period.
This prospective study evaluated the degree of inter-reader variability in the identification of segmented and band neutrophils from blood smears of full-term, healthy neonates. Wide inter-reader differences of band neutrophil identification and the immature to total neutrophil ratio were observed. Because of poor correlation between evaluators of the same blood smear, the clinical utility of the manual differential leukocyte count in the evaluation of neonates is limited.
Schelonka
R L
RL
Department of Pediatrics, Wilford Hall Medical Center/PSP, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5300, USA.
Yoder
B A
BA
Hall
R B
RB
Trippett
T M
TM
Louder
D S
DS
Hickman
J R
JR
Guerra
C G
CG
D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results