Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia is a common problem encountered in neonates and often requires admission and treatment.Almost 60% of the term babies and 80% of the preterm babies develop jaundice. East Asians have higher baseline neonatal bilirubin levelsthan whites and are predisposed to the development of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. .Objectives: To determine the important prognostic factors in Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia and to correlate variables with severity ofpresentation.Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the Paediatrics Unit 3 of Civil Hospital Karachi from June to November2017 on admitted patients below one month of age with clinically diagnosed jaundice. Total and indirect serum bilirubin levels, and data ofgender, age, birth weight, blood group incompatibility, and breast feeding were obtained.Results: Of 255 cases, 80% were resolved. Phototherapy was the most common method of treatment (in 91.8% of cases). Males slightlyoutnumbered females (1.39:1). 6.3% of jaundiced neonates died; 3.5% developed kernicterus before death. Low birth weight wasobserved in 50.2% of cases while preterm gestation was seen in 39.2% of cases.Conclusion: Important prognostic factors for Hyperbilirubinemia were presence of kernicterus, anemia, age group of the infant, severityof hyperbilirubinemia and the therapy provided.