Basic cardiovascular parameters in the underweight neonatal swine.

Some hematological and cardiovascular parameters of the underweight neonatal piglets have been compared with normal-weight 1 and 7-day-old swine (Sus scrofa domestica). The underweight swine had a significantly lower leukocyte count, plasma protein level and blood glucose level, but a significantly higher plasma LDH level. Heart rate and arterial blood pressure were significantly lower in the underweight group. Based on the observed results it was postulated that the piglets born with a low body weight could also be physiologically immature since the cardiovascular parameters measured approximated those reported for normal fetuses of the same weight. Further studies are required to ascertain if a functional immaturity persists in the neonatal animals.