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. 2020 Feb;40(2):194-202.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-019-0566-8. Epub 2020 Jan 6.

Extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus spectrum disorder in Denmark during the years 2000-2015

Mette Line Donneborg  1   2 , Bo Moelholm Hansen  3 , Pernille Kure Vandborg  4 , María Rodrigo-Domingo  5   6 , Finn Ebbesen  4   7
Affiliations

Extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus spectrum disorder in Denmark during the years 2000-2015

Mette Line Donneborg et al. J Perinatol. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the incidence and etiology of extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, defined as total serum bilirubin (TSB) ≥450 µmol/L, and kernicterus spectrum disorder (KSD) in Denmark between 2000 and 2015.

Study design: We identified all infants born between 01.01.2000 and 31.12.2015 with TSB ≥450 µmol/L, ratio of conjugated to TSB <0.30, gestational age ≥35 weeks, and postnatal age ≤4 weeks, using Danish hospitals' laboratory databases.

Result: We included 408 infants. The incidence of extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia among infants with gestational age ≥35 weeks was 42/100,000 during the study period with a seemingly decreasing incidence between 2005 and 2015. Twelve of the 408 infants developed KSD, (incidence 1.2/100,000) Blood type ABO isohemolytic disease was the most common explanatory etiology.

Conclusions: Our study stresses the importance of a systematic approach to neonatal jaundice and ongoing surveillance of extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and KSD.

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References

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