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  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
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Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

Successful management of neonatal hemochromatosis by exchange transfusion and immunoglobulin: a case report

Journal of Perinatology volume 33, pages 83–85 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Neonatal hemochromatosis (NH) is a rare and severe liver disease of mainly intra-uterine onset, characterized by neonatal liver failure, hepatic and extrahepatic iron accumulation. This leads to an altered iron metabolism with resulting siderosis. The disease represents the most common cause of liver failure in neonates and is also the most common indication for neonatal liver transplantation. We present a case of a newborn diagnosed with NH and life threatening liver failure. Initial treatment consisted of chelation therapy and antioxidants, but lack of laboratory and clinical improvement led to an exchange transfusion followed by the singular substitution of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Both, exchange transfusion and IVIG were tolerated well and led to an improvement of the general condition of the patient and recovery of liver synthetic function. The subsequent favorable course of the disease is described in this case report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Center for Child and Adolescent Health, Heinrich Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    F Babor

  2. Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    B Hadzik, H Stannigel, E Mayatepek & T Hoehn

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  1. F Babor
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  2. B Hadzik
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  3. H Stannigel
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  4. E Mayatepek
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  5. T Hoehn
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Correspondence to F Babor.

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Babor, F., Hadzik, B., Stannigel, H. et al. Successful management of neonatal hemochromatosis by exchange transfusion and immunoglobulin: a case report. J Perinatol 33, 83–85 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.9

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