Management of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia and prevention of kernicterus.

Abstract

Hyperbilirubinaemia remains one of the most common and more important pathological conditions in the newborn. The possibility that the so-called physiological or developmental hyperbilirubinaemia, with relatively low levels of serum bilirubin, could be responsible for bilirubin encephalopathy in the small premature infant is of great concern to the neonatologist; premature newborns are prone to developing hyperbilirubinaemia. Current methodologies for suppressing severe neonatal jaundice include: (a) attempts to stimulate liver conjugating enzymes using drugs such as phenobarbital; (b) attempts to degrade bilirubin with phototherapy; and (c) exchange transfusion. It is too soon to consider tin-protoporphyrin as a drug for the prevention and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia. However, if it can be shown that tin-protoporphyrin can serve as a safe and less costly alternate treatment, a considerable improvement in the management of neonatal jaundice would be achieved.

• Authors: F F Rubaltelli, P F Griffith
• Journal: Drugs (Drugs) Vol. 43 Issue 6 Pg. 864-72 (Jun 1992) ISSN: 0012-6667 [Print] New Zealand
• PMID: 1379158 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Bilirubin

Topics

• Bilirubin (blood)
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Jaundice, Neonatal (complications, therapy)
• Kernicterus (etiology, prevention & control)