Acute Bilirubin Encephalopathy: A Propos of 151 Cases Collected during a Multicentric Study in Senegal

Abstract

Introduction: Bilirubin encephalopathy is a debilitating complication of severe neonatal unconjugated bilirubin jaundice. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of occurrence of this complication and to describe the diagnostic and prognostic aspects in Senegal. Materials and Methods: This was a multicenter, descriptive and analytical study conducted in 32 neonatal units of various levels, with retrospective (January to December 2020) and prospective (January to August 2021) collection. All neonates hospitalized for acute bilirubin encephalopathy were included. The diagnostic criteria were the presence of jaundice associated with neurological signs (muscle tone disorders, abnormal movements, convulsions, etc.), with no other obvious etiology found. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 23 software. The significance threshold was retained for a p-value Results: We registered 151 patients. The mean age was 6 days and the sex ratio was 2.5 (clear male predominance). The majority of newborns were from Dakar (51%). Twenty-two (22%) were premature and 32% had low birth weight. Half of the newborns (50%) came from home and 87% were exclusively breastfed. The average time to consult was 3 days. Neurological signs were dominated by decreased primitive reflexes (74%), abnormal movements (59%) and lethargy (50%). Dehydration (30%) and anemia (26%) were often associated. The mean bilirubin level was 416 umol/l. Neonatal infections (19%) and Rhesus (16.7%) and ABO (8.7) incompatibility were the main causes. One third (33%) of patients had received intensive phototherapy and only 2% had received exchange blood transfusion. The case fatality was 48.9%. Conclusion: Bilirubin encephalopathy remains a major concern in Senegal. It is associated with high mortality and numerous neurological sequelae. Progress in terms of early detection and appropriate management is urgently needed on a national scale.