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Surveillance of extreme hyperbilirubinaemia in Denmark. A method to identify the newborn infants
Author(s) -
Bjerre Jesper Vandborg,
Petersen Jes Reinholdt,
Ebbesen Finn
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00879.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , pediatrics , exchange transfusion , kernicterus , jaundice , epidemiology , danish , abo incompatibility , full term , abo blood group system , pregnancy , surgery , linguistics , philosophy , physics , genetics , biology , optics
Aim: To describe the incidence of infants born at term or near‐term with extreme hyperbilirubinaemia. Methods: The study period was between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2005, and included all infants born alive at term or near‐term in Denmark. Medical reports on all newborn infants with a total serum bilirubin concentration (TSB) ≥ 450 μmol/L were obtained by linking laboratory data to the unique Danish personal identification number. Results: In total, 113 infants were included, that is, an incidence of 45/100 000 live births. Thirty‐seven infants presented in hospital, 2 after home birth and the others after having been discharged. The maximum TSB was 485 (450–734) μmol/L (median [range]) and appeared latest amongst those infants admitted from home, but was not different from the maximum TSB of the nondischarged infants. Forty‐three infants had symptoms of early‐phase acute bilirubin encephalopathy; one infant had advanced‐phase symptoms. Four infants received an exchange transfusion. ABO blood group incompatibility was present in 52 infants. Thirty‐seven infants were of non‐Caucasian descent. Conclusion: A method to obtain the national epidemiological data is presented. The observed incidence of extreme hyperbilirubinaemia is higher than previously reported in Denmark. This is mainly due to a very sensitive method of identifying the study group.