Examination of the percentage of immature platelet fraction in term and preterm infants at birth

• Published in: Journal of clinical neonatology Vol. 2; no. 4; pp. 173 - 178
• Main Authors: Yuko, Sakurai, Takeda, Tomohiro, Hirota, Atsushi, Hisaeda, Yoshiya, Amakata, Syusuke, Nakao, Atsushi, Kawakami, Tadashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications Pvt Ltd 01.10.2013; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Blood platelets; Comparative analysis; Infants; Original; Physiological aspects; small for gestational age infant; XE-2100; immature platelet fraction; Birth weight standard deviation score; thrombocytopenia
• ISSN: 2249-4847; 1658-6093
• DOI: 10.4103/2249-4847.123095

Background: Reticulated platelets (RPs) are newly synthesized platelets. Recently, an automatic method was established to detect RPs as a percentage of the immature platelet fraction (IPF%). Although, neonates often develop thrombocytopenia at some time during their hospitalization, the details of IPF% in neonates remain unclear. We, therefore, studied the relations between IPF% and other factors to gain a more detailed understanding of IPF% in neonates. Methods: The following clinical data were obtained from the medical records of 105 neonates who met our inclusion criteria: Gestational age, birth weight, IPF% and platelet count of neonatal peripheral blood at birth, and perinatal data. The subjects were divided into three groups: Group A, birth weight standard deviation score (SDS) ≥ −2 standard deviation (SD) and ≤ +2 SD; Group S, < −2 SD; and Group L, > +2 SD. Results: IPF% correlated negatively with platelet count at birth in the whole study population. IPF% was 2.8 ± 1.3% in term neonates, and IPF correlated negatively with gestational age and birth weight. Platelet count correlated positively with birth weight SDS in the whole study population and in Group S. IPF% correlated negatively with birth weight SDS in the whole study population and in Group S. In neonates with a platelet count below 25 Χ 10 4 /μl, IPF% correlated negatively with platelet count. Among other neonates, however, IPF% remained almost constant. Conclusion: Monitoring of IPF% is useful for estimating the function of thrombocytopoiesis in neonates and preterm infants.