Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study

Neonatal jaundice detection in low-resource Mexican settings: possibilities and barriers for innovation with mobile health

BACKGROUND

Neonatal jaundice is a common condition that can lead to brain damage and disabilities when severe cases go undetected. Low- and middle-income countries often lack accurate methods for detecting neonatal jaundice and rely on visual assessment, resulting in a higher incidence of adverse consequences. Picterus Jaundice Pro (Picterus JP), an easy-to-use and affordable smartphone-based screening device for the condition, has demonstrated higher accuracy than visual assessment in Norwegian, Philippine and Mexican newborns. This study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to implementing Picterus JP in public health services in low-income settings in Mexico by exploring the current process of neonatal jaundice detection and stakeholders' perspectives in that context.

METHODS

Qualitative data collection techniques, including one focus group, 15 semi-structured interviews and four observations, were employed in urban and rural health facilities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The participants included medical doctors, nurses and health administrators. The data were analysed by thematic analysis guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

RESULTS

The analysis yielded four main themes: (I) the current state of neonatal care and NNJ detection, (II) the needs and desires for enhancing NNJ detection, (III) the barriers and facilitators to implementing Picterus JP in the health system and (IV) HCWs' expectations of Picterus JP. The findings identify deficiencies in the current neonatal jaundice detection process and the participants' desire for a more accurate method. Picterus JP was perceived as easy to use, useful and compatible with the work routine, but barriers to adoption were identified, including internet deficiencies and costs.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of Picterus JP as a supporting tool to screen for neonatal jaundice is promising but contextual barriers in the setting must be addressed for successful implementation. There is also an opportunity to optimise visual assessment to improve detection of neonatal jaundice.

Risk of childhood neoplasms related to neonatal phototherapy- a systematic review and meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Observational studies have shown conflicting results as to whether exposure to neonatal phototherapy is associated with increased rates of childhood cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the rates of childhood neoplasms and cancer after neonatal phototherapy.

DATA SOURCES

The CENTRAL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

STUDY SELECTION

Observational studies regardless of design were included.

DATA EXTRACTION

The data were extracted by one author and validated by another. The risk-of-bias assessment was performed using the ROBINS-E and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools.

RESULTS

Six cohort and 10 case-control studies were included. The overall risk of bias was high in seven and low in nine studies. In cohort studies, the odds ratio (OR) was increased for hematopoietic cancer (1.44; confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.80) and solid tumors (OR: 1.18; CI: 1.00-1.40). In case-control studies, the OR was 1.63 (CI: 0.99-2.67) for hematopoietic cancers and 1.18 (CI: 1.04-1.34) for solid tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with a history of neonatal phototherapy had increased risk of hematopoietic cancer and solid tumors. The evidence quality was limited due to the high risk of bias and potential residual confounding.

IMPACT STATEMENT

Exposure to neonatal phototherapy increased later risk of hematopoietic cancer and solid tumors. This is the most comprehensive study on the association between phototherapy and cancer, but the evidence quality was limited due risk of bias and residual confounding. Future large scale well conducted studies are still needed to better estimate the association and.

Delivery of a post-natal neonatal jaundice education intervention improves knowledge among mothers at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda

BACKGROUND

Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality. As many infants are discharged by 24 hours of age, mothers are key in detecting severe forms of jaundice. Mothers with limited knowledge of NNJ have a hard time identifying these infants who could go on to have the worst outcomes. This study aimed to determine the effect of a jaundice education package delivered to mothers prior to hospital discharge on maternal knowledge after discharge.

METHODS

This was a before and after interventional study involving an education package delivered through a video message and informational voucher. At 10-14 days after discharge, participants were followed up via telephone to assess their post-intervention knowledge. A paired t-test was used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on knowledge improvement. Linear regression was used to determine predictors of baseline knowledge and of change in knowledge score.

RESULTS

Of the 250 mothers recruited, 188 were fit for analysis. The mean knowledge score was 10.02 before and 14.61 after the intervention, a significant difference (p<0.001). Factors determining higher baseline knowledge included attendance of 4 or more antenatal visits (p < 0.001), having heard about NNJ previously (p < 0.001), having experienced an antepartum illness (p = 0.019) and higher maternal age (p = 0.015). Participants with poor baseline knowledge (β = 7.523) and moderate baseline knowledge (β = 3.114) had much more to gain from the intervention relative to those with high baseline knowledge (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Maternal knowledge of jaundice can be increased using a simple educational intervention, especially in settings where the burden of detection often falls on the mother. Further study is needed to determine the impact of this intervention on care seeking and infant outcomes.

The correlation between serum total bile acid and alanine aminotransferase of pregnant women and the disorders of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia-related amino acid metabolism

BACKGROUND

To explore the association between liver metabolism-related indicators in maternal serum and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NHB), and further investigate the predictive value of these indicators in NHB-related amino acid metabolism disorders.

METHODS

51 NHB and 182 No-NHB newborns and their mothers who treated in the Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang from 2018 to 2022 were participated in the study. The differences in clinical data were compared by the Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between maternal serum indicators and the occurrence of NHB. The correlation analysis and risk factor assessment of maternal serum indicators with NHB-related amino acid metabolic disorders were performed using Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Compared to the non NHB group, the NHB group had higher maternal serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT/AST, and total bile acid (TBA), while lower levels of serum albumin (ALB), total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The levels of alanine (ALA), valine (VAL), ornithine (ORN), and proline (PRO) in the newborns were reduced in NHB group, while arginine (ARG) showed a tendency to be elevated. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that maternal ALT, AST, ALT/AST, and TBA levels were all at higher risk with the development of NHB, whereas ALB, TC, and HDL levels were negatively associated with NHB development. Increasing maternal TBA level was associated with lower ALA (r=-0.167, p = 0.011), VAL (r=-0.214, p = 0.001), ORN (r=-0.196, p = 0.003), and PRO in the newborns (r=-0.131, p = 0.045). Maternal ALT level was negatively associated with ALA (r=-0.135, p = 0.039), VAL (r=-0.177, p = 0.007), ORN (r=-0.257, p < 0.001), while ALT/AST was positively correlated with ARG (r = 0.133, p = 0.013). After adjustment for confounding factors, maternal serum TBA and ALT were the independent risk factor for neonatal ORN metabolic disorders [(adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.379, 95%CI = 0.188-0.762, p = 0.006), (AOR = 0.441, 95%CI = 0.211-0.922, p = 0.030)]. Maternal ALT level was an independent risk factor for neonatal VAL metabolic disorders (AOR = 0.454, 95%CI = 0.218-0.949, p = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

The levels of high TBA, ALT, AST, and low HDL, TC of maternal were associated with the risk of NHB. Maternal TBA and ALT levels were independent risk factors for NHB-related amino acid disturbances which have value as predictive makers.

Clinical value of combined predictors of RET%, γ-GT, LDH in the ABO neonatal hemolytic disease

Objective

The purpose of this study is to examine the prognostic significance of the amalgamated indicators, reticulocyte percentage (RET%), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and γ-Glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), in neonatal ABO hemolytic disease.

Methods

A total of 137 hospitalized children with pathological jaundice were included. Based on their medical conditions, they were categorized into two groups, hemolytic (67 cases) and non-hemolytic (70 cases). Pearson linear correlation and binary logistic multivariate analysis were used to analyze LDH, γ-GT, RET% and hemolysis. Furthermore, the predictive value of the combined predictors of RET%, LDH, and γ-GT on ABO neonatal hemolytic disease was evaluated using the ROC curve analysis.

Results

The laboratory indexes of the two groups were subject to analysis using binary logistic regression to identify suspicious influencing factors. The study revealed that RET%, LDH, and γ-GT were independent risk factors for hemolysis. Pearson linear correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between LDH and γ-GT with RET% (r = 0.529, P < 0.01; r = 0.526, P = <0.01, respectively). Furthermore, the predictive value of each combined predictor was obtained using the ROC curve, and it was observed that combined predictor L (RET% + LDH + γ-GT)>L1 (RET% + LDH)>L2 (RET% + γ-GT).

Conclusion

Combined predictor L (RET% + LDH + γ-GT)demonstrate its optimal diagnostic efficacy, offering a novel approach towards diagnosing early-onset ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn.

Coagulation profile of neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia in full-term newborns

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between coagulation system markers and hyperbilirubinaemia in full-term neonates.

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study enrolled full-term neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia and healthy control full-term neonates. Prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (Fbg), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and international normalized ratio (INR) were recorded. The correlation between INR and total bilirubin and between INR and indirect bilirubin was analysed by linear regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the efficacy of INR to identify neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia.

RESULTS

This study enrolled 40 full-term neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia and 30 healthy controls. PT, INR and APTT were significantly higher in the neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia compared with the healthy controls. There was a significant positive correlation between INR and the level of total bilirubin in neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia (R = 0.3327). There was also a significant positive correlation between INR and the level of indirect bilirubin in neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia (R = 0.3406). INR in neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia significantly achieved an area under the curve of 0.800 (95% confidence interval, 0.6288, 0.9712; cut-off value, 1.060; specificity, 71.43%; sensitivity, 80.00%).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that INR is a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in full-term neonates.

Bilirubin Removal by Polymeric Adsorbents for Hyperbilirubinemia Therapy

Hyperbilirubinemia, presenting as jaundice, is a life-threatening critical illness in newborn babies and acute severe hepatic failure patients. Over the past few decades, extracorporeal hemoadsorption by adsorbent therapy has been widely applied in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia. The capability of hemoadsorption depends on the adsorbents. Most of the clinically used bilirubin adsorbents are made up of styrene/divinylbenzene copolymer and quaternary ammonium salt, which usually have poor biocompatibility and weak mechanical strength. To overcome the drawbacks of commercial polymer adsorbents, advanced synthetic and natural polymers with/without nanomaterials have been designed, and novel adsorbent fabrication technologies have also been developed. In this review, the adsorption mechanism of bilirubin adsorbents has been summarized, which is the basic criterion in adsorbent development. Furthermore, the preparation method, adsorption mechanism, relative merits and practicability of the emerging bilirubin adsorbents have been evaluated. Based on the existing studies, this work highlights the future direction of the efforts on how to design and develop bilirubin adsorbents with good overall clinical performance. Perhaps this study can change traditional perspectives and propose new strategies for bilirubin clearance from the aspects of pathogenic mechanisms, metabolic pathways, and material-based innovation.