In two hundred neonates, white cell counts and peripheral blood smears were evaluated at birth, and after the 24th, 48th and 72nd hours of delivery to compare the differential counts of leukocytes with the values of other investigators. Parity between neutrophils and lymphocytes was observed on the third day, which was earlier than the time reported previously by other investigators. The total white cell counts were similar to those generally observed, but absolute total neutrophil counts, absolute total immature neutrophil counts and immature-to-total neutrophil ratio were found to be higher than those values previously reported in the literature. Environmental factors during delivery and in early postnatal life may play a role in the dynamics of leukocytes. These differentials should be taken into account when the diagnosis of early neonatal infections is considered.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interferon-alpha therapy for refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in children.

Interferon (IFN)-alpha therapy was presented as a possible treatment for refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We used 3 x 10(6) U recombinant IFN alpha, subcutaneously three times a week, every other day, for a total of 12 doses, in five children with refractory ITP. Three patients showed no response and were classified with Type III. One patient gave a partial response, and the other one had been in remission for 71 weeks as of this writing. This is the longest remission period reported for IFN therapy. The patients were classified Types IIb and I, respectively. The therapy was well tolerated. We conclude that further studies are to needed evaluate IFN-alpha therapy in childhood ITP.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Granulocyte and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors, their receptors and interleukin-3 levels in newborns.

Serum levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) as well as neutrophil counts were studied on the first, second and fifth days after birth, in order to elucidate the relations between neutrophil kinetics and these hematopoietic factors. The G-CSF and GM-CSF receptors on neutrophils were also investigated in 16 healthy newborns. G-CSF and GM-CSF receptor-positive neutrophil percentages were not different from those in the peripheral blood of adult controls. The receptor densities, assessed by mean fluorescence channel number, were also similar in newborn and adult neutrophils. The mean serum concentrations of G-CSF were high (191 pg/ml) on the first day of life and gradually decreased on the second (128 pg/ml) and fifth (112 pg/ml) days. A statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05) was found between G-CSF levels and absolute neutrophil counts (ANC). Furthermore, the percentage of decrease in G-CSF levels correlated significantly with the percentage of decrease in ANC (p < 0.001). GM-CSF levels were also high, though less striking, on the first day of life (9.5 pg/ml), remained at high levels on the second (10 pg/ml), and gradually decreased on the fifth (8.8 pg/ml) day. IL-3 levels were high (110 pg/ml) on the first day of life and remained at high levels on the second (138 pg/ml) and fifth (138 pg/ml) days. We found that the IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF levels were elevated during the first week of postnatal life. Our findings suggest that significant changes in the levels of the growth factors are likely to be the cause of significant leukocyte blood picture changes during the first week of life. We found normal GM-CSF and G-CSF receptors in uninfected newborns.

Case-Control Studies↗