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  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
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Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

Severe hemolysis with normal blood count in a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient neonate

Journal of Perinatology volume 28, pages 306–309 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

A premature glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficient neonate was readmitted for exponential rise in the plasma bilirubin concentration to 33.0 mg dl−1. Blood carboxyhemoglobin (2.8% of total hemoglobin, >threefold normal value) confirmed the presence of hemolysis; however, hematological indices were unchanged from the birth hospitalization. Serum unbound bilirubin, although present, was probably at a concentration insufficient to cause bilirubin encephalopathy. In G-6-PD deficient neonates, severe hemolysis may occur in the absence of hematological changes typical of a hemolytic process.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Charles E Ahlfors, MD, for advice and assistance in setting up the unbound bilirubin assay and for review of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    M Kaplan & C Hammerman

  2. Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    M Kaplan & C Hammerman

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    H J Vreman, R J Wong & D K Stevenson

Authors
  1. M Kaplan
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  2. C Hammerman
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  3. H J Vreman
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  4. R J Wong
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  5. D K Stevenson
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Correspondence to M Kaplan.

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Kaplan, M., Hammerman, C., Vreman, H. et al. Severe hemolysis with normal blood count in a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient neonate. J Perinatol 28, 306–309 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211919

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211919

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