title: Intravenous Immunoglobulin G Treatment in ABO Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn, is it Myth or Real?
abstract: Intravenous Immunoglobulin G (IVIG) therapy has been used as a component of the treatment of hemolytic disease of the newborn. There is still no consensus on its use in ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn routinely. The aim of this study is to determine whether administration of IVIG to newborns with ABO incompatibility is necessary. One hundred and seventeen patients with ABO hemolytic disease and positive Coombs test were enrolled into the study. The subjects were healthy except jaundice. Infants were divided into two groups: Group I (n = 71) received one dose of IVIG (1 g/kg) and LED phototherapy whereas Group II (n = 46) received only LED phototherapy. One patient received erythrocyte transfusion in Group I, no exchange transfusion was performed in both groups. Mean duration of phototherapy was 3.1 ± 1.3 days in Group I and 2.27 ± 0.7 days in Group II (p < 0.05). Mean duration of hospital stay was 5.34 ± 2.2 days in Group I and 3.53 ± 1.3 days in Group II (p < 0.05). Mean duration of phototherapy was 4.0 ± 1.5 days and 2.73 ± 1.1 days in double and single doses of IVIG respectively, and this was statistically significant (p < 0.05). IVIG therapy didn't decrease neither phototherapy nor hospitalization duration in infants with ABO hemolytic disease. Meticulus follow-up of infants with ABO hemolytic disease and LED phototherapy decreases morbidity. IVIG failed to show preventing hemolysis in ABO hemolytic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beken
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hirfanoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turkyilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilgun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altuntas
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Sezin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozden
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ergenekon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06500 Besevler, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Yildiz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atalay
keywords: ABO hemolytic disease; IVIG; LED phototherapy