Comparative analysis between albumin-binding capacity and the concentration of unbound bilirubin in hyperbilirubinemic sera of newborn infants.

Abstract

Albumin-binding capacity and the concentration of unbound bilirubin after separation by gel filtration were determined in the sera of 20 newborn infants aged 1 to 7 days. Total serum bilirubin level ranged between 12.0 and 23.8 mg/100 ml. The results are as follows: 1. The albumin-binding capacity ranged between 48 and 100% without any relation to the level of total serum bilirubin. 2. The mean concentration of unbound bilirubin was 0.11 mg/100 ml. No significant correlations were found between unbound bilirubin levels and the albumin-binding capacity or the concentration of total bilirubin.