title: The role of umbilical cord alpha fetoprotein as a screening tool for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
abstract: Our aim was to test whether alpha fetoprotein (AFP) might serve as a marker of hepatic immaturity sufficient to predict an increased risk for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NHB) in term babies. We checked umbilical cord AFP (UC AFP) levels in 174 healthy full-term infants (male/female ratio 1.26:1) at birth. Bilirubin levels were measured upon discharge from the nursery on day 3 of life (mean, 57 +/- 10 hours of life). Mean UC AFP was 60.2 +/- 45.9 mg/L. UC AFP levels were linearly correlated with subsequent bilirubin levels, and significantly higher bilirubin levels were found in neonates whose UC AFP levels were 100 mg/L or more. Although statistically significant correlation between UC AFP and subsequent NHB exists, UC AFP cannot currently be recommended for use in clinical practice because of its inability to serve as a screening tool for significant NHB in the individual newborn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riskin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peskin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamir
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vafsi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Leibovitz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riskin-Mashiah
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merksamer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins