Platelet count and function in umbilical cord blood versus peripheral blood in term neonates

Abstract

Platelet function in neonates is sparsely investigated. The majority of previous studies investigated platelets in umbilical cord (UC) blood rather than in peripheral blood.

We included 20 term neonates and sampled UC blood and peripheral blood within 20 min and 24 h after birth. Platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV) were measured. Platelet surface glycoproteins (GP) and platelet activation (bound fibrinogen, CD63 and p-selectin) after agonist stimulation were examined by flow cytometry. Platelet aggregation was evaluated by impedance aggregometry. The significance level was set after Bonferroni correction.

Platelet count and MPV did not differ between UC and peripheral blood (p-values >0.08). Expression of platelet surface GP was similar in UC and peripheral blood (all p-values >0.02). Platelet activation was lower in UC blood than in peripheral blood for bound fibrinogen (four out of eight p-values <0.001) but did not differ for CD63 (all p-values >0.01) or P-selectin (all p-values >0.01). Platelet aggregation was significantly higher in UC than in peripheral blood (p-values <0.001).

In conclusion, platelet count, MPV and expression of platelet surface GP measured in term neonatal UC blood represented that of peripheral blood. Platelet activation and aggregation in UC blood did not reflect that of peripheral blood.

Keywords:

• Platelet function
• platelets
• term neonates
• umbilical cord blood

Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the Elsass Foundation, Grant number 17-3-1377. The authors thank the staff at the maternity ward, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Finally, the present study had not been possible without the help of laboratory technicians, Vivi Bo Mogensen and Mai Stenulm Veirup.

Declaration Of Interests

The authors report no conflict of interest regarding the presented work but have the following general conflicts of interest. CVBH has participated in educational activities sponsored by Roche. AMH has received speaker’s fees from CSL Behring, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Astellas and Leo Pharma and unrestricted research support from Octapharma, CSL Behring and Leo Pharma.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Elsass Fonden [17-3-1377].