Fetal hemoglobin in the diagnosis of neonatal subarachnoid hemorrhage

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) 1976-11, Vol.58 (5), p.751-754
• Main Authors: Chaplin, E R, Schlueter, M A, Phibbs, R H, Kitterman, J A, Tooley, W H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood; Blood Transfusion; Cerebral Hemorrhage - blood; Cerebrospinal Fluid - analysis; Diagnosis, Differential; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous - complications; Fetal Hemoglobin - analysis; Heart Defects, Congenital - complications; Humans; Hyaline Membrane Disease - complications; Hydrocephalus - blood; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases - blood; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - blood; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - complications
• ISSN: 0031-4005; 1098-4275
• DOI: 10.1542/peds.58.5.751

Intracranial hemorrhage is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in newborn infants, particularly those born prematurely.1-8 Major intracranial hemorrhage in the preterm infant is usually intraventricular.3-6 Although intraventricular hemorrhage is a common autopsy finding, it may be difficult to diagnose before death because its early signs are also often associated with cardiopulmonary disease.3-7 Thus, particularly in prematurely born infants with severe hyaline membrane disease, there may be no pathognomonic sign of intracranial bleeding and often only a presumptive clinical diagnosis can be made. Laboratory diagnosis based on bloody spinal fluid may also be misleading, since the blood in the spinal fluid could be the result of either a traumatic lumbar puncture or preexisting subarachnoid blood.