β-Thalassemia trait and hyperbilirubinemia in G-6-PD deficient newborn infants

Hb A2 was determined in 50 subjects with erythrocyte G-6-PD deficiency who presented with hyperbilirubinemia in the neonatal period and in 100 non-hyperbilirubinemic G-6-PD deficient newborn infants, at the age of 12 months or more. Six subjects in the first group and 13 in the second were found to be carriers of the β-thalassemia trait. Statistical analysis of the data did not show any significant difference between the two groups. It seems that the β-thalassemia trait does not provide any protection against neonatal hyperbilirubinemia associated with G-6-PD deficiency.