title: Increased monocytes and bands following a red blood cell transfusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to analyze the white blood cell changes that occur after a transfusion of red blood cells in order to identify a subclinical inflammatory response in neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of infants who received a red blood cell transfusion in an intensive care nursery. White blood cell results within 24 h pre- to 48 h post-transfusion were collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, T-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson's correlation and multivariable linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monocytes (P=0.02) and bands (P=0.035) were increased post-transfusion. There were no differences in monocytes (P=0.46) or bands (P=0.56) between groups who did or did not have blood cultures obtained. There was no difference in monocytes between groups who did or did not have sepsis (P=0.88).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified an elevation in monocytes and bands in the 48 h following a transfusion in premature infants. Our findings support a possible pro-inflammatory response related to transfusion of red blood cells.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Sydney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ellefson
authors.affiliation: Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Sydney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Locke
authors.affiliation: Blood Bank, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mackley
authors.affiliation: Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Sydney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies