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Blood Rheology in the Newborn

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Clinical Aspects of Blood Viscosity and Cell Deformability

Abstract

The importance of disorders of microcirculation in the pathogenesis of disease in the newborn was highlighted when Chu et al. (1965) coined the synonym “The Pulmonary Hypoperfusion Syndrome” for hyaline membrane respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) of the newborn. Yet, despite the supportive evidence of others (Strang, 1966), blood rheology as such has not been the subject of much investigation in this age group, emphasis being directed more toward cardiopulmonary pathophysiology. More recently, with the improved management of RDS and the increasing survival of low-birth-weight babies in general, and with the persistence of intracranial haemorrhage as a major threat to life (Anderson et al., 1976) more attention has been paid to blood flow, especially cerebral blood flow. However, the emphasis again has been in cerebrovascular dynamics and haemostasis rather than on the red cell or the physical properties of plasma in the newborn. While not suggesting that this emphasis has been entirely misplaced, what follows is an attempt to put into perspective the numerous inter-relating factors of importance in the aetiology of various disorders in the newborn, especially those of the central nervous and respiratory systems.

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  1. C. H. M. Walker
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Medicine, Royal Infirmary, 86 Castle Street, G4 0SF, Glasgow, Scotland

    G. D. O. Lowe MB, ChB, MRCP (Lecturer in Medicine and Honorary Senior Registrar) & C. D. Forbes MD, FRCP (Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Honorary Consultant Physician) (Lecturer in Medicine and Honorary Senior Registrar) &  (Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Honorary Consultant Physician)

  2. Bioengineering Unit, University of Strathclyde, G4 0NW, Glasgow, Scotland

    J. C. Barbenel BDS, BSc, MSc, PhD, LDS, RCS, MInstP (Senior Lecturer) (Senior Lecturer)

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© 1981 Spring-Verlag Berling Heidelberg

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Walker, C.H.M. (1981). Blood Rheology in the Newborn. In: Lowe, G.D.O., Barbenel, J.C., Forbes, C.D. (eds) Clinical Aspects of Blood Viscosity and Cell Deformability. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3105-2_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3105-2_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-3107-6

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