Intravenous immunoglobulin (
IVIG) has been found to decrease
hemolysis in
neonatal jaundice due to blood group incompatibility, but a consensus on its usage has not been reached. We conducted a study to compare single versus multiple dose of
IVIG in combination with light emitting diode (LED)
phototherapy in patients with
neonatal jaundice secondary to ABO blood incompatibility, and compared the efficacy of these treatments with that in a group of patients who received LED
phototherapy solely. Thirty-nine term neonates with
ABO blood group incompatibility were enrolled in the study. Group I received one dose of
IVIG (1 g/kg) and LED
phototherapy, and group II two doses of
IVIG (1 g/kg) and LED
phototherapy, whereas group III received LED
phototherapy only. In group I, exchange transfusion was performed in one patient (6%) and in group II in one patient (10%). In the control group, none of the patients required exchange transfusion. Duration of LED
phototherapy was 4.3 ± 0.7 days in group I + II (
IVIG group), 3.9 ± 0.6 days in group III (P = 0.06). Lowest hematocrit level in group I + II was 35.0 ± 7.8 and group III was 38.9 ± 4.2, this was statistically significant (P = 0.034).
IVIG therapy, single or multiple, did not affect exchange transfusion, need of
erythrocyte transfusion and hospitalization time when used in combination with LED
phototherapy in the treatment of ABO
hemolytic jaundice in neonates.