European journal of pediatrics
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Peripheral blood flow and systolic blood pressure (strain-gauge plethysmograph), blood volume (Evans blue) and whole blood viscosity (cone-plate viscometer) have been measured in 66 premature and full-term infants 6 to 144h of age. Blood flow and blood volume were moderately decreased in the infants with respiratory distress. ⋯ However, at given blood volume, peripheral blood flow decreased with increasing blood viscosity. These results indicate that in newborn infants peripheral blood flow, blood pressure and peripheral resistance are influenced by blood volume, but also depend on blood viscosity.