CONTRIBUTION OF HEMOLYSIS TO JAUNDICE IN SEPHARDIC JEWISH GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE-DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENT NEONATES

We determined the contribution of haemolysis to the development of hyp erbilirubinaemia in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficie nt neonates and G-6-PD normal controls. Blood carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb ), sampled on the third day of life, was measured by gas chromatograph y. corrected for inhaled carbon monoxide (COHb(C)), and expressed as a percentage of total haemoglobin concentration (Hb). Serum bilirubin w as tested as clinically necessary. 37 non-jaundiced (peak serum total bilirubin (PSTB) less than or equal to 255 mu mol/l and 20 jaundiced ( PSTB greater than or equal to 257 mu mol/l) G-6-PD-deficient neonates were compared to 31 non-jaundiced and 24 jaundiced controls with compa rable PSTB values, respectively. COHb(C) values for the entire G-6-PD deficient group were higher than in the controls (0.75 +/- 0.17% v 0.6 2 +/- 0.19%, P < 0.001). COHb(C) and PSTB values did not correlate in the G-6-PD-deficient group (r = 0.15, P > 0.05) but did in the control s (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). COHb(C) values were increased to a similar ex tent in the G-6-PD-deficient. non-jaundiced (0.72 +/- 0.16%), the G-6- PD-deficient, jaundiced (0.80 +/- 0.19%) and the control, jaundiced (0 .75 +/- 0.18%) subgroups, compared to the control, non-jaundiced subgr oup (0.53 +/- 0.13%) (P < 0.05). Although present in G-6-PD deficient neonates, increased haemolysis was not directly related to the PSTB.