Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia--a vulnerability factor for mental disorder?
OBJECTIVE
Various studies have shown an association between obstetric complications and psychiatric illness. There is a lack of specific aetiological explanations. A possible mechanism contributing to cerebral vulnerability is neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia (NHB).


METHODS
A total of 509 children with NHB (bilirubin > 15 mg %) were compared with the same number of controls (matched for gender, place of residence, and date and place of birth) with respect to in-patient psychiatric care during 1971-1993.


RESULTS
A significantly greater number of individuals in the NHB group received in-patient psychiatric care than in the control group (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-5.5). After exclusion of infants with associated obstetric risk factors, the significantly increased risk for in-patient psychiatric care still remained among the children with NHB (OR, 13.4; 95% CI, 1.6-110.1).


CONCLUSIONS
NHB could be a factor underlying subsequent development of mental ill-health, but larger samples are needed to obtain a more reliable assessment.
Dalman
C
C
Stockholm County Child and Adolescent Public Health Unit (CBU), Huddinge, Sweden.
Cullberg
J
J
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment