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Neonatal jaundice in ‘healthy’ very low birthweight infants
Author(s) -
TAN K. L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1987.tb00242.x
Subject(s) - medicine , jaundice , pediatrics
The daily bilirubin levels during the first week of life in 94 premature very low birthweight (VLBW, < 1500g) relatively ‘healthy’ infants were determined. Mean daily bilirubin values peaked on the fourth day of life at 188.1 μmol/l (s.e.m. = 5.3). Twenty‐eight infants developed hyperbilirubinaemia (bilirubin > 260 μmol/l), at which time they were exposed to phototherapy. When individual peak bilirubin values were evaluated, the overall peak value was 213.9 μmol/l (s.e.m. = 5.1) occurring at 4.81 days (s.e.m. = 0.11), although the value is most likely an underestimate, since the 28 pre‐phototherapy values were not truly peak values. Seventy‐six (81%) infants experienced bilirubin levels > 170 μmol/l. The method of delivery apparently had no impact on the bilirubin levels. All the infants remained well and progressed satisfactorily.‘Healthy’ VLBW infants experience a much greater incidence and severity of neonatal jaundice than mature infants with the same clinical status.