Association between reticulocyte hemoglobin content (RetHe) and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Authors

Grace K Mueller, Miheret Yitayew, Amanda Robinson, Roy Sabo, Karen D Hendricks-Muñoz

Published in

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association. Jul 08, 2026. Epub Jul 08, 2026.

Abstract

Investigate the impact of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (RetHe) on neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
Retrospective cohort of infants born ≤36^6/7 weeks gestational age (GA) with neurodevelopmental testing post-discharge. Associations between neurodevelopment and average RetHe, lowest RetHe, and exposure time to low RetHe ( < 29 pg) were described and stratified by GA. RetHe over time and test Z-scores were assessed using multivariable linear regression.
52% of 381 infants (N = 199) had at least 1 low RetHe. Infants with abnormal development had lower average and minimum RetHe, and longer exposure to low RetHe (all p ≤ 0.003). RetHe was highest in infants born 32-33 weeks GA. Higher RetHe during postnatal weeks 1-5 was associated with higher Test of Infant Motor Performance Z-scores (p = 0.0048), with diminishing effect over time, but decreasing 12-month Bayley cognitive Z-scores (p = 0.0064).
RetHe is associated with neurodevelopment and potentially has differential effects based on GA and postnatal age.

PMID:
42420549
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Jul 2026.

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