Hereditary Spherocytosis among Neonates with Jaundice in Bandar Abbas, South Iran

Background: Neonates affected by hereditary spherocytosis may suffer from significant jaundice. This study was conducted on neonates with jaundice hospitalized at the Children’s Hospital in Bandar Abbas, South Iran, to determine the frequency of hereditary spherocytosis among them. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 814 neonates with jaundice hospitalized at the Children’s Hospital in Bandar Abbas, South Iran, were studied from August 2013 to August 2014. Neonates with serum bilirubin levels requiring phototherapy were included in the study, while those whose parents did not consent to their children entering the study, those with congenital abnormalities, infections, bile duct obstruction, and ill neonates were excluded from the study. Peripheral blood smears were prepared for neonates with MCHC≥ 36g/dl, and osmotic fragility tests were carried out if spherocytes were found in the blood smear. Results: Of the 814 studied neonates, 58.1% were boys and 41.9% girls. Their average bilirubin, hemoglobin, and MCHC levels at the start of the study were 16.96 ± 3.49, 14.69 ± 2.19, and 34 ± 1.37, respectively. Ninety eight percent (798 neonates) had MCHC levels below 36 and 2% (16 neonates) had MCHC levels equal to or over 36, but the osmotic fragility tests of all these 16 neonates were normal. Conclusion: In the present study none of the hospitalized neonates with jaundice had hereditary spherocytosis. More studies with larger sample size and longer duration are recommended to further study the causes of jaundice and the prevalence of hereditary spherocytosis in Iran. Keywords: Hereditary spherocytosis, neonatal jaundice, Iran.