The levels of erythrocyte 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (RBC 2, 3-DPG) were determined by end-point method (UV test, Boehringer Mannheim) . Fifty five healthy children ranging from two and half months to 15 years of age were studied on the RBC 2, 3-DPG levels and 18 low-birth-weight (LBW) infants were also participated. The mean value and standard deviation of RBC 2, 3-DPG in healthy children were 5.43±0.29μmol/mlRBC. No significant difference was detected in age and sex. Also the value of 2, 3-DPG was not significantly different from those of 10 healthy adults determined by the same method.
In neonatal period, it has been suggested that blood O2 affinity correlated well with the effective 2, 3-DPG fraction (EDPG) because of high concentration of fetal hemoglobin. Daily changes of EDPG in 18 LBW infants were studied after birth. Within one week of age, EDPG levels showed about 40 per cent as compared with those of healthy children, increasing gradually thereafter which did not reach within normal range by one month.