The CBC: reference ranges for neonates

Abstract

"Normal values" for blood parameters of neonates are generally unavailable, because blood is not usually drawn on healthy, normal neonates to establish normal ranges. Instead, "reference ranges" are used, consisting of the 5th to the 95th percentile values compiled from tests performed on neonatal patients with minimal pathology, under the premise that such ranges approximate normal values. In recent years, we have been seeking to establish reference ranges for various elements of the complete blood count (CBC) of neonates, using the large databases of Intermountain Healthcare, a health care system in the western United States. Establishing these reference ranges has been facilitated by using modern hematology analyzers and electronic data repositories of clinical and laboratory information. The present review brings together several of our recent reports, displaying reference ranges for elements of the CBC among neonates at various gestational and postnatal ages.