title: Does moderate unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term neonates play a role on their neurodevelopmental status at the age of 18 months?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Safety of moderate hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term neonates is still a matter of discussion. The purpose of this study was to compare developmental status of 18-month-old children with and without history of neonatal indirect nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case-control study, the developmental status of 18-month-old children referred to Azadshar primary health care center in Yazd, Iran, between December 2007 and June 2009 was evaluated via the Persian version of Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ). Children in the case group were healthy term neonates with total serum bilirubin level of 20-25 mg/dl, birth weight of 2500-4000 g and no birth asphyxia who were admitted to hospital and had undergone phototherapy. The control group consisted of children who were healthy term neonates without history of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  112 children (56 in each group) were evaluated. Four children in the case group and one in the control group had delay in communication skills. Three in the case group and three in the control group had fine motor delay. Only one child in the case group showed delay in problem solving. Statistically significant differences were not seen in the frequency of developmental delay as well as in the mean scores of all developmental domains in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of the present study by ASQ, the developmental status at the age of 18 months of healthy term neonates with moderate unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia was not different from the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fallah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi Barzegar
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bafrooee
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005878:Gilbert Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin