TY - JOUR ID - TI - Evaluate the level of Serum Erythropoietin in Premature Babies AU - Ribaz S. Asaad AU - Abbas A. Rabaty PY - 2019 VL - 25 IS - 2 SP - 30 EP - 39 JO - The Medical Journal of Tikrit University المجلة الطبية لجامعة تكريت SN - 18131638 AB - ABSTRACTBackground Erythropoietin is the growth hormone of erythropoiesis thatproduced mainly in the liver during fetal life and in the kidney duringinfancy. It’s low level considered being the main cause of anemia inprematurity. The aim was to measure serum erythropoietin concentrationsin premature babies and correlate it to different hematological parameters.Patients & Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted for fourmonths starting from 1st December 2018 to 1st March 2019, included 25premature neonates admitted in neonatal care unit of Rapareen pediatrichospital & maternity hospital, Erbil, Iraq. All premature neonates whosegestational age was between 28 -34 weeks were included in the studyregardless of their birth weight. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, reticulocyte countand serum erythropoietin levels were measured in premature babies at firstand at the end of the fourth week.The Results: Serum erythropoietin measured in total 25 premature babies,in which serum erythropoietin in 52% of them was within the normal range(2-20 mIU/ml) while in 48% were below this range. serum erythropoietinconcentration positively correlated to gestational age (r=0.47) in contrast itwas negatively correlated to the Hb (r=0.51) and PCV(r=0.34).Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that about half of prematureneonates had low serum EPO level while other half had normal serum EPOlevel in the 1st week of life, also we identified a strong negative correlationbetween serum EPO and Hb in the 1st month of life, therefore, there was astatistically significant difference between serum EPO in 1st week and 1stmonth.

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