Plasma and internal erythrocyte viscosity in umbilical artery and vein of premature infants with and without acute asphyxia

Abstract

The successful management of marked biochemical and hemorheological abnormalities in preterm neonates, especially in babies with perinatal asphyxia, requires a thorough understanding of the causes and consequences of such changes. We divided 41 preterm newborns (< 37 weeks of gestational age) into two groups–with and without perinatal asphyxia–to study biochemical, hematological and hemorheological variables (plasma viscosity and internal erythrocyte viscosity measured with a Harkness type capillary viscosimeter, osmolality, anion gap, osmol gap) in blood samples from the umbilical artery and vein. The results were analyzed with comparison of the t-test, correlation and regression studies. The most noteworthy findings were: 1.) similar values in biochemical, hematological and hemorheological variables in both vessels and in both groups, and 2.) evidence of a similar relation between plasma protein concentration and plasma viscosity in umbilical artery and vein in preterm neonates with acute fetal distress.