title: D-penicillamine therapy in ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn infant.
abstract: This study comprises 120 full-term infants with ABO hemolytic disease admitted to the neonatal department during a period of 60 months from 1970-1975. During the first 30 months newborns (n = 61) received no D-penicillamine therapy, whereas all infants (n = 59) received this treatment (300-400 mg/kg/day, divided into 4 equal doses, for 2-5 days) during the last 30 months. The patients were further subdivided into two groups according to the point of time when D-penicillamine treatment was begun, viz. group I (34 treated and 34 control infants) within the first 24 h of life; group II (25 treated and 27 control infants) after the third day of life. In group I D-penicillamine therapy caused a marked decline of serum bilirubin concentrations at a time when such levels were rising in the control infants. The number of exchange transfusions per infant was 1.32 in the control and 0.11 in the D-penicillamine-treated infants. In group II D-penicillamine considerably reduced the number of exchange transfusions (0.70:0.24 = control:treated) but the difference was statistically not significant. In the latter patients the mean bilirubin values showed a smaller difference compared to the controls than in group I. Since group I represented the results of early or preventive treatment, while group II those of late or therapeutic treatment, it is obvious that, for ensuring success, D-penicillamine treatment should be begun as early as possible in ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn.
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000367:Age Factors; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D004899:Erythroblastosis, Fetal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005078:Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D010396:Penicillamine; D001663:Bilirubin