Response of leukocytes and nucleated red blood cells in very low-birth weight preterm infants after exposure to intrauterine inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis if very immature preterm infants exposed to chorioamnionitis would exhibit increased numbers of leukocytes, neutrophils, and nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) in peripheral blood.


METHODS
Preterm infants with birth weight <1500 g were prospectively evaluated. Blood cells were counted within the first hour of life in infants exposed to histological chorioamnionitis and controls.


RESULTS
Birth weight, gestational age, and sex did not differ between the groups (n = 71). Seventeen infants who were exposed to chorioamnionitis had significantly higher counts of leukocytes, neutrophils, and immature neutrophils after birth. However, there was no difference in the number of circulating NRBCs between both groups. In contrast, there was a tendency towards an increased NRBC count in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Preterm infants exposed to chorioamnionitis elicited a strong inflammatory response as reflected by increased numbers of leukocytes and neutrophils. However, chorioamnionitis did not induce an increase in numbers of NRBC.
Wirbelauer
Johannes
J
University Children's Hospital, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany. wirbelauer_j@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
Thomas
Wolfgang
W
Speer
Christian P
CP
D001772:Blood Cell Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology