title: Determinants of severity of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in ABO incompatibility in Nigeria.
abstract: The study was designed to determine factors responsible for the severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia sometimes found in ABO incompatibility in Nigeria. In 50 jaundiced babies who were ABO-incompatible it was found that the mean serum bilirubin level was significantly higher in outpatients than inpatients; this difference was probably due to the delay in recognizing jaundice among the outpatients and, possibly also to the slightly higher number of G-6-PD deficient babies in the same group, and their greater exposure to icterogenic agents. The results of serological studies suggest that ABO-incompatibility was responsible for neonatal jaundice in only 36% of these babies. Among the inpatients the need for exchange blood transfusion was more common in babies of mothers with immune anti-A or anti-B titres of 1:64 or more (P less than 0.001). Neonates at risk of ABO-haemolytic disease can be identified at birth by direct positive Coombs test and detection of immune anti-A or anti-B antibodies in the mother's serum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Owa
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Durosinmi
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Alabi
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005078:Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood; D005260:Female; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000209:etiology*; D009549:Nigeria; D010045:Outpatients; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System