Research on Post-transfusion Haematocrit Equilibration: Timing Post-transfusion Haematocrit Check in Neonates at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria

Anaemia is a common morbidity in the NICU and often requires transfusion of packed red blood cells.
Haematocrit equilibration following red cell transfusion occurs over time ultimately resulting in a stable
packed cell volume (PCV). Knowledge of this equilibration process is pertinent in the accurate timing
of post-transfusion (PT) PCV. We conducted a prospective study to determine an appropriate timing
for PT PCV estimation on 47 stable anaemic babies at the Neonatal Unit of National Hospital, Abuja.
Values of PCV were determined before transfusion and at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours post-transfusion.
Forty of the recruited neonates and young infants were analyzed. Their gestational age range was
26 to 40 weeks. 1-hour PT PCV (48.5% ± 5.5%) was similar to the 6-hour PT PCV (47.8% ± 5.6%)
p = 0.516, but both were significantly different from the 12-hour (46.8% ± 5.9%), 24-hour
(45.9 ± 5.8%), and 48-hour (45.4% ± 6.2%) PT PCVs. The 12-hour PT PCV was similar to the 24-hour
and 48-hour PT PCVs (p = 0.237 and 0.063, resp.). We concluded that, in stable non-haemorrhaging
and non-haemolysing young infants, the estimated timing of haematocrit equilibration and,
consequently, post-transfusion PCV is 12 hours after red blood cell transfusion.