There were 188 exchange transfusions performed in 185 neonates in this study, as shown in Table 1. Among them, 112 (59.6%) were male. Overall, 34 (18.1%) infants were preterm, and the mean gestational age was 37.93 ± 1.63 weeks old. The mean age at admission was 6.42 ± 3.97 days old, and exchange transfusion was performed 6.63 ± 3.40 hours after admission. Among 188 cases, ABO incompatibility was found in 65 infants (34.6%), RH incompatibility in 21 (11.2%), G6PD deficiency in 30 (16.0%), and MN incompatibility in 1 (0.5%). Bilirubin encephalopathy was diagnosed in 63 (33.5%) cases, sepsis was diagnosed in 22 (11.7%), anemia was diagnosed in 15 (8%), and NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) and purulent meningitis were diagnosed in 2 each (1.1%). Among all cases, 185 (98.4%) experienced different adverse events, and the most common adverse events were hyperglycemia (86.2%), followed by anemia requiring top-up transfusion after ET (50.5%), hypocalcemia (42.6%), hyponatremia (42.6%), thrombocytopenia (38.3%), acidosis (25.5%), hypokalemia (25.5%), hyperkalemia (3.2%), convulsions (2.7%) and cyanosis (2.7%). Considering the sample size, this study focused on only the 7 most common adverse events.
Table 1
Baseline demographic characteristics
Characteristic | Value |
Total ET count | 188 |
Male sex | 112(59.6%) |
Gestational age (weeks) | 37.93 ± 1.63 |
Premature | 34 (18.1%) |
Delivery by C-section | 66(35.1%) |
Apgar score | 9.88 ± 0.48 |
Birth weight (g) | 3201.30 ± 429.75 |
Weight at admission (g) | 3036.97 ± 430.53 |
Age at admission (days) | 6.42 ± 3.97 |
Length of stay | 9.31 ± 3.93 |
Etiology | |
Unidentified | 96(51.1%) |
ABO incompatibility | 65(34.6%) |
G6PD deficiency | 30(16.0%) |
RH incompatibility | 21 (11.2%) |
MN incompatibility | 1 (0.5%) |
Other diagnosis | |
Bilirubin encephalopathy | 63 (33.5%) |
Sepsis | 22(11.7%) |
Anemia | 15 (8%) |
Necrotizing enterocolitis | 2(1.1%) |
Purulent meningitis | 2(1.1%) |
Exchange transfusion (ET) | |
ET volume (ml) | 495.27 ± 78.59 |
ET time (minutes) | 96.77 ± 18.82 |
TSB before ET | 388.70 ± 107.66 |
TSB during ET | 253.41 ± 80.29 |
TSB after ET | 198.75 ± 62.13 |
TSB 1 day after ET | 220.60 ± 58.95 |
Bilirubin exchange rate | 0.48 ± 0.10 |
Adverse events during ET | |
Hyperglycemia | 162(86.2%) |
Requiring top-up transfusion after ET | 95(50.5%) |
Hypocalcemia | 80(42.6%) |
Hyponatremia | 80(42.6%) |
Thrombocytopenia | 72(38.3%) |
Metabolic acidosis | 48(25.5%) |
Hypokalemia | 48(25.5%) |
Hyperkalemia | 6(3.2%) |
Convulsion | 5(2.7%) |
Cyanosis | 5(2.7%) |
The variables with significant differences between patients with and without 7 common adverse events during ET are shown in Table 2. Please note that directly related variables regarding the adverse events, such as blood glucose for hyperglycemia and serum calcium for hypocalcemia, are not shown in this table. Younger age is a common risk factor for these adverse events, and there are significant differences in infants with/without thrombocytopenia, hypokalemia, top-up transfusion, and hypocalcemia. However, the term and preterm infants did not show significant differences in these adverse events. Female neonates are more likely to experience hypokalemia. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of hypokalemia and hypocalcemia. Not starting feeding is a risk factor for metabolic acidosis and hypocalcemia. Formula feeding increases the risk of hypocalcemia. There was also no significant difference in the mode of delivery or Apgar score for adverse events during ET. Different etiologies of hyperbilirubinemia have different risks for different adverse reactions. ABO incompatibility is associated with a higher risk of metabolic acidosis but a lower risk of hyperglycemia and hyponatremia. RH incompatibility is associated with a higher risk of hypocalcemia. G6PD deficiency reduces the risk of hypocalcemia and hypokalemia. Etiology-identified neonates more likely to experience top-up transfusion after ET. A short ET time contributes to hyperglycemia and hypocalcemia. The ET speed showed a significant difference between infants with and without hypocalcemia. ET via the femoral artery will increase the risk of hypocalcemia. ET via the axillary artery, femoral vein or popliteal vein could decrease the risk of hyperglycemia, hyponatremia and hypokalemia, respectively. Infants with higher white blood cell counts before ET have a higher risk of hypocalcemia and metabolic acidosis. A relatively lower TBIL level is significantly associated with many adverse events, such as thrombocytopenia, hypokalemia, top-up transfusion, and hypocalcemia. The relationships among different adverse events are shown in the alluvial diagram (Fig. 1h).
Table 2
Comparing variables with and without adverse events during exchange transfusion
adverse event | Variables | NO | Yes | p value |
hyperglycemia 162(86.2%) | ABO incompatibility | 15(57.7%) | 50(30.9%) | 0.014 |
ET time | 104.88 ± 20.81 | 95.47 ± 18.22 | 0.017 |
ET artery axillary | 5(19.2%) | 5(3.1%) | 0.003 |
Serum potassium | 3.87 ± 0.39 | 3.65 ± 0.53 | 0.046 |
Cerebral hemorrhage | 1(3.8%) | 42(25.9%) | 0.025 |
top-up transfusion after ET 95(50.5%) | Admission age | 7.00 ± 4.04 | 5.85 ± 3.83 | 0.046 |
Etiology unidentified | 57(61.3%) | 39(41.1%) | 0.009 |
IBIL at admission | 431.34 ± 99.24 | 394.97 ± 113.56 | 0.021 |
TBILbga at admission* | 528.25 ± 111.54 | 465.65 ± 122.34 | < 0.001 |
TBILbga before ET | 407.01 ± 107.13 | 370.78 ± 105.68 | 0.021 |
Hemoglobin | 142.83 ± 33.67 | 121.18 ± 29.40 | < 0.001 |
Hypocalcemia 80(42.6%) | Admission age | 7.51 ± 3.64 | 4.94 ± 3.93 | < 0.001 |
Breast feeding | 76(70.4%) | 37(46.2%) | 0.001 |
Formula feeding | 9(8.3%) | 21(26.2%) | 0.002 |
No feeding | 0(0.0%) | 7(8.8%) | 0.006 |
RH incompatibility | 3(2.8%) | 18(22.5%) | < 0.001 |
G6PD deficiency | 25(23.1%) | 5(6.2%) | 0.003 |
Etiology unidentified | 64(59.3%) | 32(40.0%) | 0.014 |
ET time | 99.31 ± 19.56 | 93.35 ± 17.32 | 0.032 |
ET speed | 5.09 ± 0.93 | 5.44 ± 1.02 | 0.014 |
ET artery femoral | 21(19.4%) | 29(36.2) | 0.016 |
TBILbga at admission | 528.69 ± 95.60 | 453.31 ± 137.64 | < 0.001 |
TBILbga before ET | 409.50 ± 103.33 | 360.62 ± 107.63 | 0.002 |
Serum bicarbonate | 21.83 ± 2.60 | 20.64 ± 2.71 | 0.003 |
White cell count | 12.97 ± 4.77 | 17.01 ± 10.59 | 0.001 |
hyponatremia 80(42.6%) | ABO incompatibility | 45(41.7%) | 20(25.0%) | 0.026 |
ET vein femoral | 21(19.4%) | 5(6.2%) | 0.017 |
Bilirubin exchange rate | 0.46 ± 0.11 | 0.51 ± 0.08 | 0.004 |
thrombocytopenia 72(38.3%) | Admission age | 6.93 ± 4.14 | 5.58 ± 3.55 | 0.023 |
TBIL at admission | 453.56 ± 119.07 | 403.52 ± 102.60 | 0.004 |
TBILbga Before ET | 404.76 ± 109.88 | 362.83 ± 99.35 | 0.009 |
Hemoglobin | 137.72 ± 32.73 | 122.49 ± 32.29 | 0.002 |
Metabolic Acidosis 48(25.5%) | Gravidity | G2(34.8%);G3(15.6%) | G2(13.3%);G3(31.1%) | 0.021 |
Not feeding | 2 (1.4%) | 5 (10.4%) | 0.017 |
ABO incompatibility | 40(28.6%) | 25(52.1%) | 0.005 |
Serum calcium | 1.17 ± 0.12 | 1.13 ± 0.11 | 0.025 |
White cell count | 13.98 ± 6.92 | 16.75 ± 10.43 | 0.039 |
hypokalemia 48(25.5%) | Sex (female) | 50(35.7%) | 26(54.2%) | 0.038 |
Admission age | 7.00 ± 3.98 | 4.73 ± 3.42 | 0.001 |
Breast feeding | 91(65.0%) | 22(45.8%) | 0.030 |
G6PD deficiency | 28(20.0%) | 2(4.2%) | 0.018 |
ET vein popliteal | 20(14.5%) | 0(0.0%) | 0.010 |
TBILbga before ET | 398.06 ± 105.39 | 361.42 ± 110.65 | 0.042 |
Serum calcium | 1.18 ± 0.11 | 1.11 ± 0.14 | 0.001 |
*varabile with subscript bga means the variable were measured by blood gas analyzer to distinguished it from biochemistry value |
Among the five machine learning models, the XGBoost model achieved the best performance in the prediction tasks of 7 adverse events (detailed information in Supplemental Tables S1 and S2). Using the SHAP, the top 10 features contributing to the 7 adverse events are shown in Fig. 1a-g. Each dot in each feature corresponds to an individual case in the dataset. The position of a dot on the horizontal axis indicates the impact of the feature (SHAP value) on model prediction, and the color of a dot reflects the feature value of the case. Not surprisingly, all indicators directly related to adverse events (e.g., blood glucose before ET and hyperglycemia) played the most important roles in the prediction models for each adverse event. In addition to variables with statistically significant differences, a number of nonlinear relationships were identified in the interpretable AI model that will help clinical staff to understand these risks in greater depth. The detailed relationships of the top 10 features identified by XAI are shown in Supplemental Figures S1-S7.
For hyperglycemia, both the statistical analysis and XAI identified that a high blood glucose level before ET, ABO incompatibility, ET time, and serum potassium are important risk factors. XAI also shows that platelet count and ET volume associated with hyperglycemia. In Fig. 2a-b, these two variables both show a nonlinear relationship. Both large and small ET volumes increase the risk of hyperglycemia. Only a small range of approximately 500 ml will decrease the risk. Unexpectedly lower platelet counts, especially with lower blood glucose levels, result in a higher hyperglycemia risk. However, higher platelet counts with lower blood glucose levels can reduce the risk.
For top-up transfusion after ET, the statistical analysis only demonstrated that lower IBIL and TBIL contribute to this adverse event, but XAI identified that higher DBIL in infants and lower TBIL contribute to this adverse event.
Although there were significant differences between different feeding modes with/without hypercalcemia, XAI did not include them as significant factors in the prediction of hypocalcemia. Traditional statistical analysis focused on the short ET time and higher ET speed, while XAI showed that a bilirubin exchange rate of ET > 0.5 was a more important risk factor for hypocalcemia, as shown in Fig. 3a. The risk of hypocalcemia decreases initially with increasing ET speed but increases significantly when the ET speed exceeds 6.3 ml/min, as shown in Fig. 3b. Both XAI and traditional analysis show that an elevated white cell count is a risk factor for hypocalcemia. XAI also identified the relationship between pH and the risk of hypercalcemia.
Except for the bilirubin exchange rate among the 3 risks identified by statistical analysis for hyponatremia, XAI showed more complex relationships between variables and hyponatremia, such as a cliff-like pattern change with a platelet count of approximately 300 ×109/L. HCO3 also showed a reverse U-shaped relationship with hyponatremia.
Except for the lower hemoglobin identified by statistical analysis, higher serum bicarbonate, higher serum potassium, higher white cell count, and lower serum calcium all contribute to thrombocytopenia based on XAI.
An unexpected relationship between metabolic acidosis and the waiting time until ET after admission was identified, as shown in Fig. 4a. It seems that performing ET 5 hours after admission will help to control the occurrence of acidosis. The third gravidity was related to a higher risk of acidosis during ET (Fig. 4b). From the original data, there were 40% third gravidity infants vs. 11% second gravidity infants with metabolic acidosis in this cohort.
Although popliteal vein infusion was identified as a risk factor for hypokalemia in statistical analysis, the XAI considered the radial artery to be a more important feature. An interesting finding is that the diagnosis of bilirubin encephalopathy reduced the risk of hypokalemia. The G6PD deficiency, which showed a significant difference in statistical analysis, was not among the top 10 features identified by XAI.