1 Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston
The erythrocyte peroxide hemolysis test (PHT) was compared to the I131 rose bengal excretion test (RBE) in the detection of complete biliary obstruction in the newborn period. Twenty-three infants with obstructive jaundice were studied.
In 16 infants with surgically proven biliary atresia both the PHT and RBE were abnormal. During the course of evaluation of the other seven patients, with neonatal hepatitis, the PHT was normal in six and abnormal in one, whereas, RBE was normal in two patients and abnormal in five. The simplicity and reliability of the PHT and the ease with which it can be repeated indicate that it may be more valuable than the RBE in evaluating the cause of obstructive jaundice in infants.
Submitted on January 7, 1971