D-Penicillamine in the Neonatal Period: Case Reports

D-Penicillamine (DPA) was first recognized as a potential benefit for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NHBI). During this time there was a remarkedly low incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the infants treated with DPA. Later, our studies were replicated in other institutes in Hungary, Poland, U.S.A., India and Mexico. It is important to note that there was no intolerance or short- or long-term toxicity of the medication, in spite of the fact that in the newborn period DPA was used 10-20 times higher doses (3 x 100 mg/kg bw./day IV for 3-7 days in the neonatal jaundice + once daily 50 mg/kg bw. IV until the end of the second week of life to prevent ROP) than those in adult. There were some very impressive cases in our practice in neonatology which deserved to be shown individually.