EVALUATION OF NUCLEATED RED BLOOD CELLS IN CORD BLOOD OF TERM BABIES AS AN EARLY SURROGATE MARKER FOR DIAGNOSIS PERINATAL ASPHYXIA.

Introduction: This study is to investigate appearance of nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) in cord blood associated with perinatal asphyxia and its relationship to immediate clinical outcome. Methods: This is a prospective case control study conducted at NCMCH, Panipat in light of Perinatal asphyxia being a major cause of neurological morbidity and mortality in India. A total of 92 neonates were included in the study. Number of NRBC/100 white blood cells (WBC) in cord blood were compared for 46 neonates were taken as test group who suffered perinatal insult encompassing, delayed cry, birth asphyxia and hypoxia, pitted against 46 neonates as control group who cried immediately with no evident sign of perinatal insult. Results: Nucleated Red Blood Cells /100 White Blood Cells in the cord blood of newborns each in the asphyxiated and in the control group have been analysed, range of 0-144 NRBCs/100 WBC has been observed with 0-5 NRBCs most commonly observed in neonates with no perinatal insult and 20-144 NRBCs observed in case of perinatal insult. So far There is a signicance (P < 0.01) correlation with number of NRBC used as a simplied comparison tool. Conclusions: The NRBCs/100 WBCs can be a simple, inexpensive yet useful marker for the assessment of severity and early outcome of perinatal asphyxia in neonates.