Infantools | Hematology FeaturedImage

Leukocyte abnormalities

ByPeter Korček

There are significant differences (leukocyte abnormalities) in white blood cell (WBC) total and differential counts between newborns and older children. Alterations in WBC total and differential count can be an early sign of infection (leukopenia, leukocytosis, shift to the left). Total WBC counts should be always adjusted for given postnatal age – see Table.

I/T index = ratio of immature forms (promyelocyte, myelocyte, bands) to mature forms of neutrophil granulocytes (normal ratio < 0.2)

PARAMETERS1 DAY7 DAYS30 DAYS
Leukocyte (x 109/l)9 – 355 – 215 – 19
Neutrophils (%)654535
Lymphocytes (%)304060

References

① Carr R. Neutrophil production and function in newborn infants. Br J Haematol. 2000;110(1):18-28. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2141.2000.01992.x

Similar Posts

  • Late onset sepsis

    Late onset sepsis (LOS) is an infectious complication in newborns that have clinical presentation after the first 72 hours of life. Sometimes also called nosocomial due to pathogenesis – contact with mother, breastmilk, invasive procedures, hands of healthcare personnel. LOS episodes significantly contribute to neonatal mortality and morbidity rates and can have lifelong…

  • Thrombophilia

    Neonatal thrombophilia can cause both arterial and venous thromboembolic events. Thrombophilia results from the disrupted hemostatic system that normally consists of 4 integrated components: the coagulation system, endothelium and regulatory proteins, platelets, and fibrinolysis. The peak incidence of pediatric thromboembolic events occurs in neonates and infants < 1 year of age….

  • Early onset sepsis

    Early onset sepsis (EOS) is an infectious complication in newborns that have clinical presentation within the first 72 hours of life. Sometimes also called perinatal due to pathogenesis – vertical transmission shortly before the birth (transplacental), ascendent infection from the cervicovaginal space (chorioamnionitis, funisitis, fetal infection) or during the vaginal delivery. The pathogen can be also the cause…

  • Hyperbilirubinemia

    Hyperbilirubinemia is defined as serum bilirubin concentration > 25 μmol/l. However, clinical presentation (jaundice (icterus) – yellowish colouring of the skin, sclera and mucosa) is apparent in newborns usually around hyperbilirubinemia of 80-100 μmol/l. It is one of the most common clinical and laboratory findings in both term and preterm infants (antenatally, placenta is responsible for…

  • Polycythemia

    Polycythemia is defined by venous hemoglobin concentration > 220 g/l or by hematocrit value > 0.65 during the first week of life. It correlates clinically with hyperviscosity syndrome. The common causes: chronic intrauterine hypoxia twin-twin transfusion syndrome in monochorionic-diamniotic twins (recipient twin) excessive placental transfusion Diagnosis Clinical signs dictated by the severity of hyperviscosity syndrome (infant…

  • Microcephaly & Macrocephaly

    Primary prerequisite for the diagnosis of microcephaly/macrocephaly is the proper horizontal head circumference (HC) measurement (frontal-occipital circumference): supine position glabella – opisthocranion as anchor points normocephaly (32-38 cm for a term newborn) => refer to percentile graphs for your hospital, region or country percentile graphs for preterm population (Fenton graphs) sexual dimorphism…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.