Cord bilirubin levels as a predictive marker for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: A prospective study

Abstract

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common medical problem in newborn infants. Early discharge is recommended but hospital readmission is a cause of concern among clinicians. This in turn carries a risk of delayed recognition of significant hyperbilirubinemia. Objective: A cross-sectional analytical study was done to evaluate the predictive value of cord bilirubin level for identifying term and near-term neonates for subsequent hyperbilirubinemia. Materials and Methods: Cord bilirubin levels at birth and subsequently serum bilirubin levels at 72 h were assessed in 100 neonates. The cutoff value was estimated beyond which there was significant hyperbilirubinemia. Results: The cutoff value of cord bilirubin >2.02 mg/dl had sensitivity and specificity of 87.5-70.8%, respectively, with positive predictive value of 0.39 and negative predictive value of 0.965 for subsequent hyperbilirubinemia. Conclusion: The cutoff value of cord bilirubin level estimated is 2.02 mg/dl can be used to predict significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.