Neutropenia in Premature Infants

Author(s): Subba Chetana, He Xiangying

Neutropenia is a self-resolving condition in many newborn infants. However, the formation and the role of the neutrophils are considered to be slightly different in the premature infants. The neutrophils act as a vital component in the innate immunity so the neonatal neutropenia in premature infants must be identified promptly and treated depending on the risk factors, especially of the clinical infections. Neutropenia in premature infants has various causes, such as maternal and pre-natal conditions, congenital syndromes, immune-mediated processes, nosocomial infections and idiopathic. However, not all neutropenia in the premature infants is clinically relevant and often does not add to the danger of infection. In this review article, we will discuss the development of neutrophils, the causes of neonatal neutropenia, and the relationships of neutropenia with premature infants and some viable management of neutropenia in premature infants.