ABSTRACT
Hemolytic disease of the newborn infant (HDN) due to anti-K (Cellano) is very uncommon in Caucasians. We report here a case of anti-K HDN. The anti-K alloimmunization appeared in the mother during her fifth pregnancy. This HDN needed an exchange transfusion immediately after delivery. The clinical outcome of the newborn infant was good.
Subject(s)
Blood Group Incompatibility/immunology , Erythroblastosis, Fetal/immunology , Isoantigens , Kell Blood-Group System , Adult , Erythroblastosis, Fetal/therapy , Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
During the last thirty years, the diagnosis, management and prevention of haemolytic disease of the newborn infant (HDN) have improved. From 1959 to 1988, 3004 HDN (ABO excluded) have been collected. The percentage of HDN with anti-D alloimmunization decreased significantly (98.4% from 1959 to 1968, 93.5% from 1969 to 1978 and 68.1% from 1979 to 1988). The anti-D HDN with exchange transfusion (ET) fell significantly between the first and second periods (577 versus 970; chi 2 = 19.92; P less than 0.001). On the other hand, the number of HDN other than anti-D increased during these three periods, but the percentage of these HDN which needed ET decreased. Our study shows the long term efficiency of the prevention of anti-D alloimmunization (since 1970) and of the irregular antibodies screening among all pregnant women (since 1979).
