title: Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in the neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the underlying causes and short-term prognosis of patients with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in a tertiary neonatal intensive care units.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the etiology, course, and shortterm prognosis of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia observed in newborn infants in a tertiary neonatal intensive care units.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 104 infants with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (2.1%, 104/4915), 92 infants (56 full-term, 36 preterm) were enrolled in the study. Cholestatic jaundice as a sole finding on physical examination during admission was present in 15.2% infants, and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia developed within the first week of life in nearly half of the infants (51.1%). The most frequent causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia within the first days of life were vascular/ischemic events, inspissated bile, and inherited metabolic disorders. The majority of the infants (80%) had also concomitant clinical disorders that might possibly contributed tothe development of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The majority of the deaths (87%) were primarily related to serious perinatal events and genetic/inherited disorders. Bilirubin levels in the most of the survivors (87.1%) returned to normal within six months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is not uncommon in neonatal intensive care unit. Etiology is often multifactorial and more commonly arise from non-hepatic causes. Outcome depends on the underlying causes. Early diagnosis and treatment may be critical for favorable outcome.
authors.forename: Mehmet Şah
authors.initials: MŞ
authors.lastname: İpek
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zencıroğlu
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gökçe
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okumuş
authors.forename: Nedim C M
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Gülaldı
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies