Blood volume and haematocrit studies in respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn.

Abstract

The blood volumes and hematocrit values were measured in 17 infants with the idopathic respiratory distress syndrome [RDS] and in 20 unaffected infants with a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg. Cord clamping was not delayed in these infants. The mean figure for blood volume in babies with RDS (94 ml/kg) was not statistically different from the mean of 107 ml/kg for the unaffected babies (p> 0.1). The hematocrit estimations showed a mean of 48% for babies with RDS and 58% for the unaffected babies, wihch is a highly significant difference (p< 0.01). The low values for the hematocrit in these cases of RDS contrast with the sometimes expressed belief that such babies have a high hematocrit. They may indicate sequestration of the red cells in the lungs and this might be related in some degree to the respiratory distress.