The concentration of circulating megakaryocyte progenitors in preterm neonates is a function of post-conceptional age.
Circulating megakaryocyte (Mk) progenitors have been used as a measure of megakaryocytopoiesis in neonates. Prior studies have shown a gestational age-dependent decrease in their concentration, but it is unclear how this process continues after birth in preterm neonates. To answer this question, we quantified the Mk progenitors in the blood of 42 neonates of varying post-conceptional ages (gestational age+days of life). We found an inverse relationship between concentration of circulating Mk progenitors and post-conceptional age (r=-0.54, p=0.0002).
Saxonhouse
Matthew A
MA
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, College of Medicine, P.O. Box 100296, Gainesville, FL 32610-0296, USA. saxonma@peds.ufl.edu
Christensen
Robert D
RD
Walker
Danielle M
DM
Hutson
Alan D
AD
Sola
Martha C
MC
D001772:Blood Cell Count; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood*