Biomaterial Database

Transcutaneous bilirubinometry in neonatal intensive care units. 1996

A Knudsen, and F Ebbesen

Department of Neonatology, University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.

OBJECTIVE To study the influence of several clinical and paraclinical factors on the association between jaundice meter readings and plasma bilirubin concentration; and to comment on the usefulness of the jaundice meter as a screening device for hyperbilirubinaemia in neonatal intensive care units. METHODS Three hundred and seventy seven newborn babies admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for various causes were included in the study. When the plasma bilirubin concentration needed to be determined for clinical reasons, the extent of the yellow skin colour was measured transcutaneously, using a jaundice meter. The haemoglobin concentration was also determined. This had no independent influence on the jaundice meter readings. The yellow skin colour was significantly and positively correlated with the bilirubin concentration and the presence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and negatively with gestational age and postnatal ages. CONCLUSIONS These findings were interpreted as being due to variations in the ability of albumin to bind bilirubin, and in the basal yellow skin colour. It was impossible to derive simple criteria for detection of hyperbilirubinemia by jaundice meter readings in this study group.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007363	Intensive Care Units, Neonatal	Hospital units providing continuing surveillance and care to acutely ill newborn infants.	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Neonatal Intensive Care Units,Newborn Intensive Care Unit,Newborn Intensive Care Units,ICU, Neonatal,Neonatal ICU,Newborn ICU,Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU),ICU, Newborn,ICUs, Neonatal,ICUs, Newborn,Neonatal ICUs,Newborn ICUs
D007567	Jaundice, Neonatal	Yellow discoloration of the SKIN; MUCOUS MEMBRANE; and SCLERA in the NEWBORN. It is a sign of NEONATAL HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA. Most cases are transient self-limiting (PHYSIOLOGICAL NEONATAL JAUNDICE) occurring in the first week of life, but some can be a sign of pathological disorders, particularly LIVER DISEASES.	Icterus Gravis Neonatorum,Neonatal Jaundice,Physiological Neonatal Jaundice,Severe Jaundice in Neonate,Severe Jaundice in Newborn,Jaundice, Physiological Neonatal,Neonatal Jaundice, Physiological
D008403	Mass Screening	Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease.	Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D012127	Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn	A condition of the newborn marked by DYSPNEA with CYANOSIS, heralded by such prodromal signs as dilatation of the alae nasi, expiratory grunt, and retraction of the suprasternal notch or costal margins, mostly frequently occurring in premature infants, children of diabetic mothers, and infants delivered by cesarean section, and sometimes with no apparent predisposing cause.	Infantile Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Infant
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001663	Bilirubin	A bile pigment that is a degradation product of HEME.	Bilirubin IX alpha,Bilirubin, (15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E,15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, Calcium Salt,Bilirubin, Disodium Salt,Bilirubin, Monosodium Salt,Calcium Bilirubinate,Hematoidin,delta-Bilirubin,Bilirubinate, Calcium,Calcium Salt Bilirubin,Disodium Salt Bilirubin,Monosodium Salt Bilirubin,Salt Bilirubin, Calcium,delta Bilirubin
D012867	Skin	The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D012880	Skin Pigmentation	Coloration of the skin.	Skin Color,Skin Tone,Color, Skin,Colors, Skin,Pigmentation, Skin,Pigmentations, Skin,Skin Colors,Skin Pigmentations,Skin Tones,Tone, Skin,Tones, Skin