Evaluation of differences of sodium and potassium levels in umbilical cord blood plasma and fresh blood plasma in neonates

Abstract

Transition from fetal to neonatal existence is correlated with significant shifts in fluid and electrolyte rates owing to homeostatic regulation. This research was intended to examine sodium and potassium in plasma of neonate’s and in cord blood. 40 normal term neonates aged less than 37 weeks number of females were 21 however males 19 were included in the study also plasma sodium and potassium were analyzed in 18 samples of cord blood plasma then mean, standard deviation and P-value were evaluated also, independent t-test was performed for data by a 95% confidence-interval for mean variance. This approach was done by following, collection of umbilical cord blood, Auto Xpress Platform (AXP) automated system, flow cytometry procedure and kits, human umbilical cord plasma screening and storage, umbilical cord plasma preparation for evaluating sodium and potassium, fresh blood plasma extraction, Potassium and sodium evaluation, finally statistical analysis. This study showed very wide range of plasma sodium and potassium levels that seem to be abnormally high or low in cord blood and in healthy term neonate during first week of life but these are actually normal for that neonatal period depending upon gestational and post-natal age. The normal values of plasma sodium and potassium in neonates are different from other age groups and it varies with postnatal age and gestational age so same reference range of electrolytes should not be used in all neonates instead a reference range derived from large neonatal datasets of varied gestational and postnatal age should be used.