[The measurement of total blood cell volume in newborns with respiratory distress].

The total blood cell volume was measured with 51Cr labelled red blood cells in 52 premature newborns, divided into 3 groups, with similar gestational ages and birth weigths: 15 controls, 11 children with transitory respiratory distress and 26 with hyaline membrane disease. The total red blood cell volumes were significantly different (p less than 0.001) in newborns with hyaline membrane disease (32.12 ml/kg +/- 8.75). No hypothesis explaining these results was satisfactory. However, early blood transfusion in children with hyaline membrane disease may be proposed as a practical application.