The relationship between nucleated red blood cell counts and early-onset neonatal seizures.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to better define the timing of neurologic insult in neonates with early-onset seizures through evaluation of neonatal nucleated red blood cell levels.


METHODS
Medical records and the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify all term neonates with neonatal convulsions who were delivered at our institution (January 1, 1990-December 31, 1995). Each neonate with early-onset seizures was matched to the next 3 neonates who met the following criteria: gestational age > or =37 weeks, no early-onset seizures, birth weight > or =800 g, umbilical artery pH > or =7.25, and a 5-minute Apgar score >7. Demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and mean initial nucleated red blood cell counts were compared between groups.


RESULTS
During the 6-year study period, there were a total of 36, 490 singleton term deliveries of infants who were alive at birth. Forty-five (0.1%) of these neonates had early-onset seizures. Thirty neonates with early-onset seizures met the inclusion criteria. Mean nucleated red blood cell counts (number of nucleated red blood cells per 100 white blood cells) for neonates with early-onset seizures were significantly increased compared with those of control neonates (18.4 +/- 22.0 vs 4.6 +/- 4.5; P <.0008).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are suggestive of the hypothesis that neurologic injury leading to early-onset seizures often occurs before the intrapartum period.
Blackwell
S C
SC
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hutzel Hospital/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. mfmboy@aol.com
Refuerzo
J S
JS
Wolfe
H M
HM
Hassan
S S
SS
Berry
S M
SM
Sokol
R J
RJ
Sorokin
Y
Y
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008470:Meconium / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012640:Seizures / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology