Newborns With Jaundice Develop Normally

Newborn babies who are diagnosed with and treated for jaundice are no more likely than other babies to suffer long-term developmental problems, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF, USA) and Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research (Oakland, CA, USA) compared 140 infants with bilirubin levels of between 25 mg/dl and 30 mg/dl--a level reached by only about 1 in 700 newborns---to more than 400 control infants. The researchers followed the children up to five years of age, measuring intelligence quotient (IQ), performing neurologic exams, and interviewing parents. They found no significant difference between jaundiced and control newborns in IQ or behavior, or in the proportion of children with abnormal neurologic examinations or with neurologic diagnoses. The study was published in the May 4, 2006, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"These are reassuring results,” said Thomas B. Newman, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics and biostatistics at UCSF and the lead investigator of the study. Our research shows that when severe jaundice is detected and treated properly, we can prevent long-term neurological problems.

Levels of 30 mg/dl or more can lead to a rare condition called kernicterus, which can cause deafness, cerebral palsy, brain damage, or even death. The usual treatment for infants with elevated bilirubin levels (higher than 15 mg/dl) is phototherapy. The baby is exposed to bright light that is absorbed through the skin, altering the bilirubin and making it easier for the baby's liver to get rid of it.



Related Links:
University of California San Francisco
Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research