Haemorheological parameters of umbilical cord blood of Nigerian newborns: correlations with maternal parameters.

Background: Published reports of haemorheological values of umbilical cord blood in Nigerian newborns are relatively scanty. The present study therefore aimed to determine the values of some basic haemorheological parameters in the umbilical cord blood of Nigerian neonates and in the venous blood of their respective mothers. The study also aimed to determine if any significant differences or correlations exist in these haemorheological parameters between maternal and umbilical cord blood.

Design: Cross sectional prospective study involving 60 subjects consisting of 30 newborn neonates and their respective mothers.

Methods: The values of haematocrit, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, whole blood relative viscosity, relative plasma viscosity, fibrinogen concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were determined in the umbilical cord blood of Nigeria neonates and in the respective mothers at the time of birth.

Results: Significantly higher values of haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, whole blood relative viscosity and relative plasma viscosity and significantly lower values of erythrocyte sedimentation rates were found in umbilical cord blood compared to maternal blood (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations were found only in the values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count, whole blood relative viscosity and relative plasma viscosity between maternal and umbilical cord blood (p < 0.05). Both mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration showed a negative but non-significant correlation between maternal and umbilical cord blood (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The present study reports values of basic haemorheological parameters in maternal and umbilical cord blood of newborn Nigerian neonates and reports significant differences and correlations in these parameters between the two groups. This we hope would provide information on umbilical cord haemorheology for Nigerian neonatologist since up to the present time similar studies have been scanty.