Elevated total peripheral leukocyte count may identify risk for neurological disability in asphyxiated term neonates.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the relationship between neurologic outcome and total circulating white blood cell (WBC) and absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) in the first week of life in term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

STUDY DESIGN: Long-term neurologic outcome at 18 months was measured retrospectively in 30 term neonates with HIE using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Scale (PCPCS) score with outcomes dichotomized as either good or poor. We then compared white blood cell and ANC levels during the first 4 days of life and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained within the first month life between the two PCPCS groups. MRI was quantified using a validated scoring system.

RESULTS: Neonates with good long-term outcomes had significantly lower MRI scores (indicating lesser injury) than neonates with poor outcomes. More importantly, neonates with poor outcomes had significantly higher WBC and ANC levels as early as12 h after birth and up to 96 h after birth compared to those with good outcomes. These data suggest that elevated peripheral neutrophil counts in the first 96 h of life may signal or predict adverse long-term outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that elevated peripheral neutrophil counts in the first 96 h of life in term infants with HIE may contribute to abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome.