Abstract
Evaluation of: Samanta S, Kumar P, Kishore SS, Garewal G, Narang A: Donor blood glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency reduces the efficacy of exchange transfusion in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Pediatrics 123, E96–E100 (2009). Intravascular hemolysis following transfusion with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD)-deficient blood has been documented, although it is not routine to screen donor blood for this condition prior to exchange transfusion. Samanta et al. studied the effect of exchange transfusion with G-6-PD-deficient donor blood on neonates with moderate hyperbilirubinemia to determine the effectiveness of the exchange, postexchange serum total bilirubin levels, the duration of phototherapy and the need for repeat exchange transfusion. A total of 21 newborns were exchanged with G-6-PD-deficient donor blood and 114 with G-6-PD normal blood. Although the percentage decrease in serum total bilirubin from pre-exchange values immediately following the exchange was similar between the groups, during the postexchange period the percentage decrease became less in those exchanged with G-6-PD-deficient blood. Similarly, the duration of postexchange phototherapy and the number of babies requiring repeat exchange transfusion, were higher in those transfused with G-6-PD-deficient blood. The authors recommend that in areas where G-6-PD deficiency is prevalent, donor blood should be screened for G-6-PD deficiency prior to exchange transfusion use.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
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