Mackintosh, T. F., and Walker, C. H. M. (1973). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 48,547. Blood viscosity in the newborn. The blood of the newborn has been shown to possess viscoelastic properties similar to adult blood, with a straight line relation between blood viscosity and PCV (packed cell volume) at normal PCV levels, and progressively disproportionate increases in viscosity at PCV levels above 65. The viscosity/ shear rate curve indicates an increase in viscosity as shear rate declines. The mean values for viscosity of the blood from 110 normal term infants increased from 5 -5 cps (centipoise) at 232 sec-1 to 33 -7 cps at 1 v 16 sec1, whereas the corresponding values for adults are considerably lower, 4 -3 to 14 -5 cps. This tends to make the blood flow in infants more susceptible to changes in haematocrit. Corresponding values for 21 normal preterm infants (5 0 to 30-6 cps) did not differ significantly from those of normal infants. Those for 13 small-for-dates infants were higher (6 6 to 44*6 cps). There was no clear relation between viscosity and the respiratory distress syndrome, the values in 20 distressed infants being 4*8 to 28 -1 cps. However, 13 of 24 babies with 'cerebral' signs had values above the normal 2 SD limit, the range for these babies being 6 9 to 47 0 cps. Among the 188 infants studied, 19 were regarded as hyperviscous with values above 2 SD from the mean. Of these, 4 were symptom free, 4 showed plethora and cyanosis only, and 11 had 'cerebral' signs, 2 having additional RDS and 1 prolonged physiological jaundice. 7 of the symptomatic infants were preterm and 4 were small-for-dates. 6 infants received haemodilution therapy by partial plasma exchange, with clinical improvement in 5. It is concluded that haemodilution should be considered in any infant with cardiopulmonary or cerebral symptoms and in whom the haematocrit is above 65 to 70%.In recent years the viscosity of blood, the occurrence of hyperviscous states, and the effects of hyperviscosity on blood flow have been studied