A pilot study on the rate of hemoglobinopathies in hyperbilirubinemic term neonates at Nemazee Hospital Shiraz, Iran

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common disorder and if untreated is potentially neurotoxic.

In order to investigate the correlation between hyperbilirubinemia and hemoglobinopathies, in a prospective study we studied a total 100 full term neonates at Nemazi Hospital with total bilirubin greater than 15 mg/dl and direct bilirubin less than 1.5mg/dl. Other known causes of hyperbilirubinemia such as G6PD deficiency and blood group incompatibility, septicemia and common metabolic disorders were excluded and then hemoglobin electrophoresis was done.

In this study we found two infants with abnormal HbD (2%). None of them had alpha thalassemia or sickle cell anemia.

Hemoglobinopathies can be considered as one of the causes of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Further studies are recommended on a larger scale in the form of multi center study.