Chemoprevention of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

The uses of synthetic heme analogues that are competitive inhibitors of heme oxygenase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of bilirubin, represent a novel means of controlling severe hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn. The logic of this approach and the use of stannsoporfin (tin mesoporphyrin) as the compound of choice are discussed.