Abstract
Several infants and children with cyanotic congenital heart disease and polycythemia, but without a corresponding increase in hemoglobin, have been encountered.
The presence of a normal hemoglobin level in cyanotic children is not sufficient evidence of absence of anemia.
These children responded well to iron therapy; they showed a rise of hematocrit and developed normal red cells in excessive amounts. Clinical improvement paralleled the rise of hematocrit.
A rise of hematocrit above 75% resulted in return of symptoms, possibly due to marked increase of blood viscosity.
Studies on newborn infants with congenital heart disease show an absence of the usual postnatal erythrocyte decrease in very cyanotic infants but revealed a tendency to the development of "relative anemia" after the third or fourth month of life.
- Received November 5, 1952.
- Copyright © 1953 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
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