Use of Serum Bilirubin/Albumin Ratio for Early Prediction of Bilirubin Induced Neurological Dysfunction

Introduction Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common problem in neonates. Approximately 60% of term and 80% of preterm babies develop jaundice in the first week of life and about 10% of breastfed babies are still jaundiced at 1 month.

Jaundice due to either indirect (unconjugated) or direct (conjugated) bilirubin within the first 24 h of life should be taken seriously. Early identification and proper management are needed to prevent the serious neurological complications .

When the total serum bilirubin (TSB) rises above the 95th percentile for age (high-risk zone), entry of unconjugated bilirubin into the brain can cause both short-term and long-term neurological dysfunctions (bilirubin encephalopathy) . The increased level of bilirubin is detrimental for nervous system, especially damage the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem, thus, resulting in bilirubin-induced neurological dysfunction (BIND) .

Bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND) is the term applied to the spectrum of neurologic abnormalities associated with hyperbilirubinemia. It can be further divided into characteristic signs and symptoms that appear in the early stages (acute) and those that evolve over a prolonged period (chronic) . Signs and symptoms of BIND include tone abnormalities such as hypotonia, hypertonia, retrocollis and opisthotonos, in association with varying degrees of drowsiness, lethargy, decreased feeding and irritability .

BIND was also associated with Kernicterus leading to devastating disability including athetoid cerebral palsy, speech and hearing impairment. BIND in neonates is a significant cause of death or lifelong disability, including cerebral palsy (CP) and auditory disorders .