All issues > Volume 36(8); 1993

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1993;36(8):1073-1079. Published online August 15, 1993.

High-Dose Intravenous Immune Globulin Therapy for Hyperbilirubinemia Caused by ABO Incompatibility

Dong Sung DS Kim¹, Dong Un DU Kim¹, Ji Whan JW Han¹, Sung Soo SS Whang¹, Kyung Yil KY Lee¹, Man Kyu MK Yang¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Four newborn infants with hyperbilirubinemia, caused by ABO blood group incompatibility, were treated with high-dose intravenous immune globulin (IVIG). As soon as the diagnosis was clinically suspected, these infants received conventional treatment including phototherapy and were monitored closely for bilirubin levels. When bilirubin concentrations reached the risk point in spite of pjototherapy, IVIG was given at a dose of 1g/kg for 6 hours. In all cases, bilirubin levels declined within 12 hours after IVEG therapy, and no rebound effect was seen. No side effects of IVIG treatment were observed. We suggest that high-dose IVIG therapy may be useful in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility, and reduce the need for exchange transfusion.

Keywords :ABO incompatibility, Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, Immune globulin therapy