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Neonatal Polycythemia and Hyperviscosity PDF
Neonatal Polycythemia and Hyperviscosity PDF
Neonatal Polycythemia and Hyperviscosity PDF
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KEYWORDS Summary Neonatal polycythemia and hyperviscosity are defined as a hematocrit 65% and
Hyperviscosity; a viscosity value >2 standard deviations greater than the norm. Although polycythemia can re-
Organ blood flow; flect normal fetal adaptation, it has been thought to be responsible for abnormalities in the
Partial exchange neonate. Polycythemia and hyperviscosity are associated with blood-flow changes in some or-
transfusion; gans, which alter their function. Partial exchange transfusion (PET) has been used to treat both
Polycythemia symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. At present, no data support the use of PET in asymp-
tomatic infants; the potential benefit in symptomatic infants depends on the symptoms. Stud-
ies of long-term neurodevelopmental status do not show any clear long-term benefits for PET.
Crystalloids are as effective as colloids in PET and have the advantage of being cheaper and
more readily available; also, they do not confer any risk of infection or anaphylaxis.
2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1744-165X/$ - see front matter 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.siny.2008.02.003
Neonatal polycythemia and hyperviscosity 249
Definitions
Although a number of factors affect the viscosity of the White blood cells
blood, the hematocrit, i.e. the concentration of red blood
cells (RBCs), is the primary determinant in the newborn White blood cells (WBCs) are larger than RBCs; they are also
infant. less deformable. However, WBCs do not affect blood
250 S. Sarkar, T.S. Rosenkrantz
viscosity unless their number significantly exceeds the This phenomenon, referred to as bolus flow, reflects high
normal count, such as in congenital leukemia. hemodynamic efficiency.11 Thus, the hematocrit does not
affect blood viscosity at the capillary level (Fig. 2).
Fibrinogen
Clinical etiologies of polycythemia
Fibrinogen contributes little to blood viscosity as it is
and hyperviscosity
normally low in the newborn.
Erythropoiesis in the human fetus varies with the arterial
Platelets
oxygen content (CaO2) of the blood delivered to the kidney.
Decreased oxygen delivery to the kidney results in increased
Although the platelets are inflexible, under normal condi- erythropoietin production and release by the fetal kidney.
tions they do not contribute much to blood viscosity. They Circulating erythropoietin stimulates the production of
can affect blood viscosity in adults with conditions such as RBCs. The endpoint is sufficient oxygen-carrying capacity
vaso-occlusive disease, as platelet aggregates will increase and delivery to keep the fetus well oxygenated. The three
blood viscosity in small or narrow vessels. common mechanisms of polycythemia are reviewed below.
Blood pH
Chronic fetal hypoxia
Blood viscosity increases with acidosis. At a blood pH < 7
A host of fetal and intrauterine factors can lead to chronic
fluid enters the RBCs and alters their shape. This phenom-
fetal hypoxia, and in turn result in increased fetal eryth-
enon might play an important role in increasing the viscos-
ropoiesis, RBC mass, hematocrit, and blood viscosity. The
ity in neonates with birth asphyxia.
increase in RBC mass compensates for the low partial
pressure of oxygen (PaO2) of the fetus resulting in a normal
Blood vessel size CaO2 and tissue oxygenation. Pregnancy-related conditions
associated with chronic fetal hypoxia include maternal dia-
In large blood vessels like the aorta, the blood flow and the betes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, fetal hyperthy-
shear rate (100e300 s1) are high compared with the arteri- roidism, and maternal smoking.
oles (11e25 s1). Thus, the viscosity in the aorta is lower Maternal diabetes is associated with an increased risk of
than the arterioles. This does not apply to capillaries ranging intrauterine hypoxia. These neonates have a high preva-
in diameter from 3 to 5 mm. Fahraeus and Lindqvist showed lence of polycythemia, elevated erythropoietin levels, and
that viscosity decreases with decreasing size of capillaries. decreased iron and ferritin levels. Hod et al. showed an
increased prevalence of polycythemia in infants of diabetic
mothers (13.3%) versus controls (4.9%).12 However, hypoxia
and polycythemia can be prevented with good maternal
glycemic control. Fetal hyperthyroidism is associated with
increase in the fetal metabolic rate and results in chronic
hypoxia and polycythemia in the newborn. Maternal smok-
ing leads to increased levels of carbon monoxide, which
crosses the placenta and competes with oxygen for fetal
hemoglobin-binding sites.
Figure 2 Blood viscosity in small capillaries (from Ref. 11, Stripping the umbilical cord towards the neonate leads to
with permission). a significant placental transfusion, polycythemia, increased
Neonatal polycythemia and hyperviscosity 251
blood volume, and increased RBC mass, especially if the accompanied by expanded blood volume, as with delayed
neonate is being held below the level of the placenta. clamping of the umbilical cord, then the glomerular filtration
Saigal and Usher raised the first concern regarding delayed rate and urine output are normal.22 In summary, the renal
cord clamping contributing to polycythemia in 1977.15 More function is dependent on both hematocrit and blood volume.
recent randomized studies have confirmed higher hema-
tocrits in both preterm and term infants with late cord Gastrointestinal tract
clamping as opposed to early cord clamping (30 s).16
Linderkamp et al. demonstrated a marked rise in the cord Nowicki et al. have demonstrated decreased intestinal
blood viscosity of infants with delayed cord clamping.17 blood flow, oxygen extraction, and uptake in both the
Polycythemia is often seen in BeckwitheWeiderman unfed and fed state.23 Human studies have shown an ele-
syndrome and with trisomies 13, 18, and 21. The etiologies vated bile concentration in serum and a low lipase and tryp-
are unknown. sin activity in the duodenum on the first day of life.24
Partial exchange transfusion did normalize the bile and li-
Altered hemodynamics pase levels but increased the risk of necrotizing enterocoli-
tis (NEC), especially if the fluid used for PET was fresh
Polycythemia and hyperviscosity are associated with alter- frozen plasma (FFP).25
ations in organ blood flow. In general, there is a decrease in
organ blood flow due to changes in red cell mass, CaO2, Metabolic
and/or viscosity.
Neonates with polycythemia are at risk for hypoglycemia.
It is unclear if this is due to decreased gluconeogenesis or
The brain
increased utilization. Glucose is present in the plasma
fraction of the blood. As many infants with polycythemia
Polycythemia and blood hyperviscosity were presumed to
have a reduced plasma volume, the whole blood glucose
cause brain hypoxia and ischemia due to a reduction in the
concentration might be significantly reduced even when
brain blood flow resulting from sludging of RBC within small
the plasma concentration is normal. Studies in poly-
blood vessels. A series of experiments performed between
cythemic newborn lambs demonstrated that at low to
1980 and 1995 has clarified the changes in brain blood flow,
normal plasma glucose concentration values, cerebral
oxygen delivery, and utilization of glucose. Rosenkrantz
glucose delivery and uptake was less than normal.26
and Oh used Doppler techniques to demonstrate a reduction
These experiments also proved that it is the cerebral glu-
of brain blood flow in neonates with polycythemia that
cose delivery, not the glucose concentration, that is the
returned to normal after partial exchange transfusion
limiting factor in cerebral glucose uptake. Black et al.
(PET).18 To understand the factors responsible for the re-
found that concurrent hypoglycemia placed polycythemic
duction in brain blood flow they performed further experi-
infants at the highest risk of poor neurologic function.27
ments using newborn lambs. Data from these studies
The finding of decreased cerebral glucose delivery and
revealed that the changes in the brain blood flow resulted
uptake associated with normoglycemia in the lamb model
from an increase in the CaO2, a normal physiologic response
leads to the speculation that this might be one reason for
that correlated with an increase in the hematocrit.19
the neurologic sequelae observed in human polycythemic
Therefore the decrease in cerebral blood flow in the new-
neonates.
born with polycythemia is a physiologic response and does
not cause cerebral ischemia.
Clinical features
Heart and lungs Polycythemia and hyperviscosity can affect multiple organ
systems and the affected neonate can present with a variety
There is a decrease in cardiac output secondary to an increase of symptoms. The neonate appears ruddy or reddish
in the arterial oxygen content. Systemic oxygen transport, (rubeosis) with sluggish capillary refill and poor peripheral
delivery, consumption, and blood pressure are normal.20 Pul- perfusion. The most common clinical features associated
monary vascular resistance increases and pulmonary blood with polycythemia include lethargy, tachypnea, tremulous-
flow decreases. This is thought to be due to changes in blood ness, irritability, jaundice, poor feeding, and vomiting.
viscosity. The decreased pulmonary blood flow can cause re- Some of these features can be attributed to the associated
spiratory distress and cyanosis. It can be reversed with a re- metabolic problems such as hypoglycemia (Table 1).28,29
duction in the hematocrit and blood viscosity.20
Central nervous system
Kidneys
Polycythemia and hyperviscosity are associated with both
Renal function is compromised. Kotagal and Kleinman used short- and long-term effects on the central nervous system.
puppies to demonstrate that polycythemia, associated with Some of the immediate symptoms include lethargy, irrita-
a decreased plasma volume, did not change renal blood bility, tremulousness, and e rarely e seizures. Several
flow.21 However, the renal plasma flow, the glomerular filtra- studies have looked at the long-term neurologic outcomes.
tion rate, urine output, and the urine sodium and potassium A study of 20 infants by Goldberg et al. made no distinction
excretion were greatly reduced. If the polycythemia is between symptomatic and asymptomatic infants and
252 S. Sarkar, T.S. Rosenkrantz
Table 1 Frequency of clinical symptoms observed in association with polycythemia and hyperviscosity (from Ref. 29, with
permission)
Clinical symptoms Gross et al.6 Ramamurthy and Brans5 Black et al.27 Goldberg et al.29
(n Z 18) (%) (n Z 54) (%) (n Z 111) (%) (n Z 20) (%)
Cyanosis 89 17 7 Nr
Plethora 83 63 Nr Nr
Tremulousness/jitteriness 67 13 Nr Nr
Abnormal EEG 33 Nr Nr Nr
Seizures 28 0 0 Nr
Respiratory distress 44 4 10 15
Cardiomegaly 17 Nr Nr 85
Lethargy/poor feeding Nr 50 55
Hyperbilirubinemia 50 6 Nr 5
Abnormal blood smear 50 Nr Nr Nr
Thrombocytopenia 39 Nr Nr 25
Hypoglycemia 33 Nr 27 40
Hypocalcemia 6 Nr Nr 0
, Greater incidence compared with the control group; EEG, electroencephalogram; Nr, not reported or examined.
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