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. 2011 Fall;2(4):326-30.

Cord blood -fetoprotein as a predictive index for indirect hyperbilirubinemia in term neonates

Yadollah Zahedpasha  1 , Mousa Ahmadpour-Kacho  1 , Jafar Khalafi  1 , Ali Bijani  1
Affiliations

Cord blood -fetoprotein as a predictive index for indirect hyperbilirubinemia in term neonates

Yadollah Zahedpasha et al. Caspian J Intern Med. 2011 Fall.

Abstract

Background: Prediction of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is very important for early treatment and prophylaxis of neurologic sequels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive role of umbilical cord -fetoprotein (UCAFP) as a marker of an increased risk for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in full term babies.

Methods: Umbilical cord blood was collected from 400 term singleton full term well newborn babies who met our inclusion criteria and stored in -20°C. Those who developed jaundice and admitted for phototherapy (34 newborns: 22 males and 12 females), considered as case group and 31 non-jaundiced infants (13 males and 18 females) gestational age-weight-matched considered as the control group. The serum level of UCAFP was checked in these 65 newborns and was compared between these two groups.

Results: Mean UCAFP in case group was 523.429±174.158 and in control group was 664.548±154.894 μg/L. In the non-jaundiced group, mean UCAFP values was higher than neonate with hyperbilirubinemia (664.548 vs. 523.429μg/L). The mean UCAFP in males was 519.023 μg/L and in females was 531.508 μg/L (p=0.066). Sixty (92.3%) babies delivered by cesarean section (CS) and 5 (7.7%) by normal vaginal delivery (p=0.566).

Conclusion: According to our study, there was no significant positive association between UCAFP and subsequent neonatal indirect hyperbilirubinemia or serum bilirubin level.

Keywords: Alpha-fetoprotein; Hyperbilirubinemia; Term neonate.

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Figures

Diagram 1
Diagram 1
Flow-diagram of Neon in this study
Figure 1
Figure 1
Scattered plot, regression analysis of UCAFP with serum bilirubin level
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box plot, comparison of UCAFP in case and control group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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