Acetylcholinesterase activity in the erythrocytes of newborn infants with hyperbilirubinemia and asphyxia.

The authors measured erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity in 51 physiologic newborn infants, 35 pregnant women and 101 infants with hyperbilirubinemia caused by hemolytic diseases in the ABO and Rh systems, or of other origin (6 children). In total, 374 examinations of erythrocyte ACHE were performed. The normal values of physiologic infants during the first hours of life were 0.162 +/- 0.03, at the age of 3 days 0.104 +/- 0.04. The values in pregnant women were 0.206 +/- 0.07. The ACHE activity was considerably decreased in newborn infants affected by erythroblastosis-ABO, and its mean value, in the case of exsanguinotransfusion indicated by the Polácek scheme, amounted to 0.060 +/- 0.051. It raised after exsanguinotransfusion and was equal to the value of red cells transfused. In newborn infants affected by erythroblastosis-Rh, the value decreased in the cases complicated with asphyxia. Low values of ACHE are sometimes found in certain cases of IRDS or of septicemia. The determination of erythrocyte ACHE activity enables assessing the state of red blood cells.