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Nucleated red blood cells in term fetuses: reference values using an automated analyzer.
Alessandro Rolfo1, Mariacaterina Maconi, Simona Cardaropoli
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. alessandro.rolfo@unito.it
Neonatology
|May 4, 2007
Summary
Automated counting of nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) in umbilical cord blood is accurate and comparable to manual methods. This study provides new reference values for NRBC counts in healthy term fetuses for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Clinical Pathology
Background:
- Nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) are indicators of fetal stress.
- Manual NRBC counting is laborious and imprecise.
- Automated methods offer a potential solution for NRBC quantification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare automated and manual NRBC counting methods.
- To establish reference values for NRBCs in umbilical cord blood of healthy term neonates.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples from 131 healthy term fetuses were analyzed using an automated NRBC counting approach.
- Reference values were derived using percentile calculations.
- A subset of 50 samples was used to directly compare automated counts with manual evaluations.
Main Results:
- A strong positive correlation (r² = 0.988) was observed between automated and manual NRBC counts.
- The median NRBC count per 100 white blood cells (WBCs) was 3.05 (range: 0-11.6).
- The median absolute NRBC count was 0.39 x 10^9/L (range: 0-1.8).
Conclusions:
- Automated NRBC counting provides results comparable to manual microscopic evaluation.
- The study establishes reliable reference values for umbilical cord NRBCs at term.
- These reference values can be utilized in clinical practice for better patient assessment.
