title: Trends of transcutaneous bilirubin in neonates who develop significant hyperbilirubinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide data on the natural course of transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) levels in neonates before the development of significant hyperbilirubinemia, and to assess the effect of different demographic and perinatal factors on the rate of TcB increase.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 2454 TcB measurements from 419 neonates before the development of significant hyperbilirubinemia. Mean TcB values and TcB percentiles for designated times were calculated, and the effect of different risk factors on the rate of TcB increase was assessed. TcB percentile curves were plotted for comparison on a population-based TcB nomogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood incompatibilities and glucose-6-phosphate dehy-drogenase deficiency were associated with higher rates of TcB in-crease during the first 36 to 48 postnatal hours, whereas smaller gestational age, increased weight loss, and exclusive breastfeeding had a similar but later effect. Compared with general population norms, a different pattern of TcB increase was noted in neonates who developed significant hyperbilirubinemia, but with a sub-stantial overlap of TcB values during the first 24 to 48 postnatal hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We provide data on the natural course of TcB levels before the development of significant hyperbilirubinemia in a white population of term and near-term neonates. Smaller gestational age, blood incompatibilities, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, increased weight loss, and exclusive breastfeeding significantly affected the rate of TcB increase in a time-dependent manner. These findings may assist in assessing the risk for significant hyperbilirubinemia and planning appropriate follow-up strategies for neonates with borderline bilirubin levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Patras, Rio, Patras, 265 04, Greece.
authors.forename: Lito
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mantagou
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fouzas
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skylogianni
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giannakopoulos
authors.forename: Ageliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karatza
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varvarigou
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D049451:Nomograms; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin