Relationships of Homologous Erythropoietin, L-ascorbic Acid, and Iron Dextran to the Hemogram of Newborn and Doe Rabbits

Abstract

The neonatal-anemia syndrome, an anemia of newborn animals, in a commonly observed physiological phenomenon in swine, humans and rats. The severity of the anemia is subject to unpredictable individual variation, but may be modified by the nutrition of the dam. Alterations in swine neonatal hemogram values begin 3-5 days postpartum and include decreases in packed cell volume and hemoglobin concentration. Vigorous and healthy appearing newborn become weak and particularly subject to infective agents and stresses, which may terminate in death. A slow return to postpartum hemogram values is observed if the newborn animal survives. The economic considerations of newborn mortality are of particular concern to the commercial livestock man, but health and survival of human infants is implicated as well. Decreased- packed cell volume and hemoglobin concentration indicate inadequate erythropoietic response and insufficient hemoglobin synthesis. The delay in development of symptoms may result from maternal carry-over of hemoglobin precursors and/or erythropoietic stimuli. Prepartum maternal treatment will perhaps enhance maternal-fetal transfer of hemoglobin precursors and/ or erythropoietic stimuli, carrying the newborn through the critical anemic period as shown in swine. Intestinal iron absorption processes involve numerous changes in the oxidation state of the iron molecule. L-ascorbic acid readily undergoes reversible oxidative-reductive changes and enhances iron absorption in the intestine of humans. Maternal-fetal iron transfer may be enhanced by dietary ascorbic acid fortification. The purpose of these experiments was to observe synergistic interrelationships, utilizing prepartum dam treatments involving injectable iron Lascorbic acid, and an erythropoietin extract of anemic plasma., Certain neonatal hemogram parameters were employed to evaluate and ascertain the interrelations of the above factors alleviating the anemic syndrome