Correlation between unconjugated bilirubin and total cholesterol in the sera of 1‐month‐old infants

Abstract

To investigate why breastfed infants are more likely to have prolonged jaundice than formula-fed infants. Serum unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were measured for 102 infants of 1 month. Enrolled infants were 42 breastfed, 40 mixed-fed and 20 bottle-fed infants. Statistic analyses for relationship among UCB, TC, TG, perinatal factors and post-natal factors were performed for these infants. In correlation analyses UCB was correlated with peak transcutaneous bilirubin value in neonatal period (TcBn) (r = 0.612, P < 0.0001) and with TC (r = 0.383, P < 0.0001). When analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) for UCB were performed using TcBn as the covariate, the results indicated that there was neither significant main nor interaction effect of feeding method on UCB, and that main and interaction effects of TC on UCB were significant when TC was categorised into two groups (≤150 mg/dL and >150 mg/dL). It is suggested that both neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and subsequent higher plasma TC are associated factors for prolonged jaundice.