ALPHA FETOPROTEIN LEVELS IN NEONATAL HYPERBILIRUBINAEMIA

Abstract

Serum .alpha.-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were studied in 15 neonatally hyperbilirubinemic children and 15 controls matched for sex and gestational age. All children were born between 38 and 40 wk of gestation. During the first 7 wk of postnatal life hyperbilirubinemic children had serum AFP concentrations over twice as high as controls. At the age of 5-7 days the mean (.+-. S.E.M.) serum AFP values were 52.4 .+-. 5.8 mg/l for hyperbilirubinemic children and 24.8 .+-. 4.3 mg/l for controls (P < 0.001). At 20-25 days of age they were 7.28 .+-. 1.10 and 2.75 .+-. 0.45 mg/l, respectively (P < 0.001), and at 40-49 days 1.39 .+-. 0.21 and 0.46 .+-. 0.07 mg/l (P < 0.001). No correlation was found between serum bilirubin and AFP concentrations in hyperbilirubinemic children.