This translation by the NDI Foundation is to assist the lay reader. To provide a clear, accessible interpretation of the original article, we eliminated or simplified some technical detail and complicated scientific language. We concentrated our translation on those aspects of the article dealing directly with NDI. The NDI Foundation thanks the researchers for their work toward understanding and more effectively treating this disorder.
© Copyright NDI Foundation 2007 (JC)

Gautham, et al., report on a male infant born after a 34 week gestation who developed transient nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Shortly after birth, the boy developed intravascular hemolysis, a disruption of the integrity of the red blood cells. Another complication of the newborn's, his having rhesus isoimmunization, required that he receive two blood exchange transfers. Shortly after he received them, he started passing cola-colored urine. Later, the authors discovered this was because the baby had received, through the transfusion, blood deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD).

On his fourth day of life, the infant started urination excessively. He was diagnosed for NDI. The baby's NDI cleared on his 6th day of life, and he was discharged at the age of 20 days. The authors concluded that the infant's intravascular hemolysis caused damage to the distal tubules in the baby's kidney, which resulted in transient NDI. Routine screening for G6PD in blood used in transfusion in newborns can help prevent such complications.