Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusion; an aetiological perspective

ABSTRACT

Neonates requiring exchange transfusion for hyperbilirubinaemia have different aetiological factors in different geographic situations. One hundred and nine cases who underwent exchange transfusions for neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia were analyzed. Fifty two of these [47.5 percent] had evidence of haemolysis due to blood group incompatibility, G6PD deficiency and other factors. Twenty babies [18.3 percent] had polycythaemia whereas in 37 cases [33.9 percent], no obvious cause was found. Sepsis and prematurity were found in 30 and 26 babies respectively but these were uniformly distributed among all the groups. Twenty-one [19.3 percent] of all cases had signs of kernicterus, while thirteen babies expired during their hospital stay