J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2002 Mar;45(3):325-330.

The Change of White Blood Cell Count Following Transfusion in Preterm Neonates

• Yoon SY
• Lee GJ
• Jung GY

Abstract

PURPOSE: We intended to find out how the red cell transfusion would change the white cell count in preterm neonates under treatment in the intensive care unit. We also speculated whether the magnitude of such a change could indicate a potential neonatal infection.
METHODS
Total white blood cell count, total neutrophil count, and band count were compared and analyzed retrospectively on 33 preterm neonates who received red cell transfusions in our hospital's intensive care unit over a period of two years and a month.
RESULTS
We found a mean change of 1.33 x 103/mm3 and 0.55 x 103/mm3 in total white blood cell count and total neutrophil count in the first eight hours following the red cell transfusion. No significant change was observed in band count between pre and post-red cell transfusion.
CONCLUSION
A mild increase in the white blood cell count caused by an increase in neutrophil count was observed temporarily following the red cell transfusion. But the white blood cell count returned to the pre-transfusion level in about 24 hours, indicating that such a low level of increase cannot be interpreted as an infection of a preterm neonate.

Keyword

Leukocytosis; Newborn; Sepsis; Transfusion

MeSH Terms

Cell Count
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
Intensive Care Units
Leukocyte Count*
Leukocytes*
Leukocytosis
Neutrophils
Retrospective Studies
Sepsis