All issues > Volume 33(9); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(9):1188-1193. Published online September 30, 1990.

Measurement of Carboxyhemoglobin in the Newborns with ABO Incompatible Hyperbilirubinemia.

Jung Ae Shin¹, Son Moon Shin¹, Jeong Ok Hah¹, Chun Dong Kim²

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea
²Department of Pediatrics, Soon Chun Hyang Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea

Received: March 15, 1990;  Accepted: June 11, 1990.

Abstract

To develop more reliable screening test for ABO incompatible hemolytic disease than commonly employed and to identify possible indicators of severity of hyperbilirubinemia, a pilot study was performed by measuring the carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) of the newborn babies within 48 hours after birth. Forty eight newborn babies were studied and carboxyhemoglobin was measured by spectro- photometry and serum bilirubin was measured by Diazo coupling method. There were significant differences of HbCO levels between hyperbilirubinemic group with ABO incompatibility and nonhyperbilirubinemic group with ABO incompatibility (1.17±0.77% vs 0.43±0. 23%) (p<0.05). There were no significant differences of HbCO levels between hyperbilirubinemic newborns and nonhyperbilirubinemic newborns of ABO compatible group (0.44±0.25% vs 0.36±0.17%). Therefore measurement of HbCO within 48 hours after birth was considered to be useful for prediction of hyperbilirubinemia in ABO incompatible newborn babies and it is necessary to monitor bilirubin levels in such newborn babies during first few days of life

Keywords :ABO incompatibility, Hyperbilirubinemia, Carboxyhemoglobin