This case report describes a preterm newborn infant who was treated
with a single dose of rasburicase for an increase in uric acid level. He
died on the third day as a result of complications of hemolysis, which
appeared to be precipitated by rasburicase. The patient’s death was
preceded by progressive respiratory insufficiency, lactic acidosis, and
hyperbilirubinemia, culminating in refractory hypoxia and hypotension.
A postmortem assay for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
showed deficiency and the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Mediterranean
genotype