EFFECT OF OROTIC ACID UPON SERUM BILIRUBIN IN NEWBORN INFANTS WITH ERYTHROCYTE G-6-PD DEFICIENCY

Fifty mature male newborns with erythrocyte G-6-PD deficiency were used for a study con cerning the effectiveness of orotic acid in preventing severe hyperbilirubinemia. Twentyfive randomly selected neonates were given orotic acid (100 mg/kg/day) orally in two daily doses from their 1st to their 5th day of life. Twenty-five newborns were not treated According to these results orotic acid does not seem to be effective in preventing severe hyperbilirubinemia, which frequently occurs in newborn babies' with erythrocyte G-6-PD deficiency. and served as controls. Six exchange transfusions were performed in the test group and six in the controls.