title: Is the hour-specific bilirubin nomogram suitable for predicting hyperbilirubinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the effectiveness of the hour-specific serum bilirubin nomogram, described by Bhutani et al, in predicting significant hyperbilirubinemia in term Turkish newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 217 healthy term newborns without signs of hemolysis were enrolled. Serum bilirubin levels were obtained at discharge and whenever visible jaundice was observed. According to the percentile-based hour specific bilirubin nomogram the babies were grouped into four categories (high, high/low, intermediate or low risk zone). All babies were followed up for hyperbilirubinemia and examined between 7 to 10 days of life and a bilirubin level was obtained when jaundice was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean predischarge bilirubin of cases was 9.71+/-3.4mg/dl. Thirty six patients (16.6%) received phototherapy while none of the cases had an exchange transfusion. The distribution of cases according to the high risk, intermediate, low/high, and low zones and the percentage of babies who received phototherapy were, 21(63.6%), 10(38.5%), 3(4.5%) and 2(2.2%), respectively. The risk of phototherapy decreased to 0.35 times for every increasing week of gestational age. Babies in the high intermediate and high risk zones were more likely to receive phototherapy (OR:24.5 and OR:83.6)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hour-specific serum bilirubin nomogram described by Bhutani et al. predicted clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia in Turkish term newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Marmara University Hospital, Istanbul,Turkey. bilgen@superonline.com
authors.forename: Bilgen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hülya
authors.forename: Ozek
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Topuzoglu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmet
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D049451:Nomograms; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin
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