LIPID, LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE AND HEMORHEOLOGY IN PRETERM AND FULL-TERM NEWBORNS - WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE

Aims The plasma lipids on the blood rheological characteristics have b een studied by several authors and it has been proved that these reper cussions have influence on fetal growth during pregnancy. Moreover, th e blood rheology may generate the response of the newborn to certain p hysiological and pathological situations, neonatal polycythemia being the most studied rheological characteristic during the last years. Our aim was to analyze and compare lipid, lipoproteic profile and hemorhe ological characteristics in newborns. Methods Fifty-four newborns were studied. They were divided into two groups according to the gestation al age: group I consisted of 26 newborns (gestational age under 37 wee ks) and Group II consisted of 28 newborns (gestational age over 37 wee ks). The blood samples were collected by venepuncture between the firs t and third hour of life. We analyzed serum lipids, plasma viscosity a nd rate of red blood cell (RBC) rigidity. Results The plasma viscosity is similar in the full-term and preterm newborns; however, rigidity r ate (RR) is significantly higher in preterm newborns. The gestational age of the newborns was related to triglycerides (TC), free fatty acid s (FFA) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). Preterm newbor ns showed lower plasma concentrations of TG, phospholipids (Phl) and H DL. However, the levels of low-density cholesterol (LDL), FFA/TG and L DL/HDL ratio were significantly higher in the newborns with lower gest ational age. Conclusions Although more thorough clinical assays are ne cessary, we observed that preterm newborns should have a LDL concentra tion and a LDL/HDL ratio higher than term newborns.