title: The thrombopoietin level in the cord blood in premature infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the level of thrombopoietin in the cord blood of preterm infants, and its relationship with neonatal platelet count and pregnancy-induced hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thrombopoietin levels in the cord blood of preterm neonates, with or without maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension, were measured by enzmye-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The platelet count was significantly lower in very low birth weight infants, infants with maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension, and infants with maternal thrombocytopenia. Neonatal thrombocytopenia was associated with maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension and very low birth weight. The neonatal platelet count was correlated significantly with the birth weight and the maternal platelet count. There was no difference in the cord blood level of thrombopoietin between infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension and those without. No correlation was found between the thrombopoietin level and the neonatal platelet count. A positive correlation between the cord blood thrombopoietin and the maternal platelet count was identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension and very low birth weight were significantly associated with thrombocytopenia in premature infants, which cannot be explained by decreased thrombopoietin level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. tsaopn@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Po-Nien
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Ru-Jeng
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Hung-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Kuo-Inn
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Tsou
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood; D010976:Platelet Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013926:Thrombopoietin