Lymphocyte subpopulations in healthy newborns and in immunohemolytic anemia due to Rh incompatibility.

The subpopulations of lymphocytes in cord blood were analyzed in 50 healthy newborns and in 25 with hemolytic disease of the newborns (HDN) using E, EA, EAC rosette tests with sheep erythrocytes, EA rosette test with human erythrocytes and SmIg+ test. A statistically significant decrease of the percent of T lymphocyte and increase in the absolute values of all lymphocyte subpopulations were found in healthy newborns as compared with adults. In the newborns with HDN a correlation was observed between the severity of the disease and the results of rosette tests. Three groups were distinguished: 1) very low values of all rosette tests, severe anemia in newborns, and high titer of antibodies in their mothers, 2) low values of EA rosette tests, less severe anemia antibody titer in the mothers lower than in the first group, 3) rosette tests within normal range, newborns usually without anemia, low titer of maternal antibodies.