title: Evaluation and Treatment of Anemia in Premature Infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anemia in preterm infants is the pathophysiological process with greater and more rapid decline in hemoglobin compared to the physiological anemia in infants. There is a need for transfusions and administration of human recombinant erythropoietin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of anemia in premature infants at the Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, as well as parameter values in the blood count of premature infants and to explore a relationship between blood transfusions with the advent of intraventricular hemorrhage (determine treatment outcome in preterm infants).
  
  
  METHODS
  Research is retrospective study and it included the period of six months in year 2014. Research included 100 patients, gestational age < 37 weeks (premature infants). Data were collected by examining the medical records of patients at the Pediatric Clinic, UCCS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first group of patients were premature infants of gestational age ≤ 32 weeks (62/100) and the second group were premature infants of gestational age 33-37 weeks (38/100). Among the patients, 5% were boys and 46% girls. There was significant difference in birth weight and APGAR score among the groups. In the first group, there were 27.42% of deaths, while in the second group, there were only 10.53% of deaths. There was a significant difference in the length of treatment. There was a statistically significant difference in the need for transfusion among the groups. 18 patients in the first group required a transfusion, while in the second group only 3 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preterm infants of gestational age ≤ 32 weeks are likely candidates for blood transfusion during treatment. Preterm infants of gestational age ≤ 32 weeks have the risk of intracranial bleeding associated with the application of blood transfusion in the first week of life.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Edo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hasanbegovic
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Nermana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cengic
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Snijezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasanbegovic
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heljic
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lutolli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Edin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Begic
mesh_terms: D000751:Anemia, Neonatal / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D004921:Erythropoietin
keywords: Anemia; blood transfusion; preterm infants