Abstract
The role of placental transfusion in the development of RDS is still in dispute. Red cell volume is closely related to placental transfusion in prematures with 32 ± 3 ml/kg beign found after immediate and 48 ± 6 ml/kg after 5 min delayed cord clamping.
In order to determine whether the degree of placental transfusion was related to the incidence or severity of RDS, red cell volume was measured at age 4 hours in 262 premature infants by I125 albumin and venous hematocrit × 0.87 to obtain total body hematocrit.
Red cell volumes averaged 39.7 ml/kg in unaffected premature infants and 37.1 ml/kg in those with RDS (PO.O2). RDS survivors had a higher red cell volume (37.7 ml/kg) than fatal cases (33.8 ml/kg). The 87 infants with the samlest red cell volumes (mean 30.1 ml/kg) had a 10.3% risk of death from RDS: the 88 with intermediate red cell volume (38.0 ml/kg) had a 5.7% risk, and the 87 with the largest red cell volumes (47.9 ml/kg) had only a 2.3% risk of death from RDS, even though the birthweights and gestational ages of the three groups were identical. From this data, a placental transfusion seems to greatly reduce the risk of death from respiratory distress syndrome.
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Usher, R., Saigal, S., O'Neill, A. et al. Red cell volume in respiratory distress syndrome. Pediatr Res 5, 415 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00183
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00183