Predictors of Repeat Exchange Transfusion for Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia

Fully automated simultaneous peripheral arteriovenous exchange transfusion not seen to aggravate brain function and the disorder of the internal environment in neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia

BACKGROUND

The acute changes in brain function in newborn infants undergoing ET remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether fully automated simultaneous peripheral arteriovenous ET would influence the brain function.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 39 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who received ET. Seventeen patients were in the encephalopathy group, and the other 22 patients were in the non-encephalopathy group. Changes in amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) during ETs were analyzed, including background activities, sleep-wake cycling (SWC), and seizures. Before and after the ET, routine blood test parameters, electrolytes, blood glucose, and blood gas parameters were measured.

RESULTS

After ETs, there were no significant changes in the levels of pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, lactate, and red blood cells, while the levels of total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, blood potassium, blood sodium, serum calcium, while blood cells, and platelets were significantly lower and the level of blood glucose was significantly higher compared to those before therapy. There was no significant difference in the changes of electroencephalographic activities during ETs, including background activities, SWC, and seizures. However, there were significant differences in suppressions on background activities, while there were no significant statistical differences in SWC or seizures between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Fully automated simultaneous peripheral arteriovenous ET is safe and efficient without significant influence on the disorder of the internal environment and electroencephalographic activities after ET in neonates. However, background activities are more significantly depressed in infants of bilirubin encephalopathy than infants of non-encephalopathy during ET.

Severe Fetal Hemolysis and Cholestasis Due to High-Titer Maternal IgG Anti-A Antibodies

ABO blood group incompatibility between mother and fetus can lead to hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). We present the first case of severe O/A HDFN associated with extremely high-titer (1:32 000) immunoglobulin G anti-A antibodies in a Cameroon mother. Cord blood analysis revealed severe fetal hemolytic anemia and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. After exclusion of an underlying disease and other risk factors, cholestasis resolved after treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid, a red blood cell transfusion, and intravenous immunoglobulins. This case is presented to create awareness for a more severe course of ABO HDFN in nonwhite and non-European mother-child pairs.

Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia is frequently associated with long hospitalisation for emergency care in Nigeria

AIM

This study investigated the frequency and predictors of a long hospital stay (LHS) for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in Nigeria.

METHODS

Length of stay (LOS) for severe hyperbilirubinaemia was examined among neonates consecutively admitted to the emergency department of a children's hospital in Lagos from January 2013 to December 2014. The median LOS was used as the cut-off for LHS. Multivariate logistic regression determined the independent predictors of LHS based on demographic and clinical factors significantly associated with the log-transformed LOS in the bivariate analyses.

RESULTS

We enrolled 622 hyperbilirubinaemic infants with a median age of four days (interquartile range 2-6 days) and 276 (44.4%) had LHS based on the median LOS of five days. Regardless of their birth place, infants were significantly more likely to have LHS if they were admitted in the first two days of life (p = 0.008) - especially with birth asphyxia - or had acute bilirubin encephalopathy (p = 0.001) and required one (p = 0.020) or repeat (p = 0.022) exchange transfusions. Infants who required repeat exchange transfusions had the highest odds for LHS (odds ratio 4.98, 95% confidence interval 1.26-19.76).

CONCLUSION

Severe hyperbilirubinaemia was frequently associated with long hospitalisation in Nigeria, especially if neonates had birth asphyxia or required exchange transfusions.

Do triple test results predict risk for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia?

Objective:

Neonatal jaundice is the most common condition that requires hospital admission and outpatient follow-up after discharge in neonates. The values of more than 17 mg/dL in term infants are accepted as neonatal significant hyperbilirubinemia. We aimed to define if there is any relationship between second trimester serum markers and neonatal severe hyperbilirubinemia to protect the neonates from its neurological damage.

Methods:

Total 1372 pregnant women were enrolled who had done triple test between April 2014 and 2015 and then given birth at our hospital. Our primary outcome was neonatal significant hyperbilirubinemia.

Results:

The mean age of our study population was 27.9±5.6. A total of 59 patients had babies with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia after exclusion of Rh incompatibility. We detected that the presence of in vitro pregnancy, maternal health problems or poor obstetric history had no effect on the risk for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was related with low E₃ levels. The ratios of AFP/E₃ and hCG/E₃ were the most helpful to predict the neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Conclusions:

According to our results, low E₃ levels in the triple test result can be helpful to predict the development of the neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. However, this is a bit expensive and many developing countries may not afford it.