Assessment Of Adherence To The Treatment Guideline In Patients Hospitalized Due To Neonatal Jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is usually a self-limiting benign clinical condition. International treatment guidelines to outline the borders of treatment of neonatal jaundice exist. The aim of our study is to evaluate the rationale of treatment guidelines for newborns admitted to the hospital for jaundice. In this retrospective study, the records of the cases admitted to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 for neonatal jaundice were reviewed. Status of jaundice on admission were evaluated on the basis of hyperbilirubinemia treatment guideline. The newborns who had any clinical risk factor or additional problem for severe hyperbilirubinemia, and higher serum bilirubin level on admission requiring treatment were designated as “Babies Need to Treatment”, whereas the remaining as “Babies Need Not to Treatment”. Of overall 518 cases, 267 were boys (51.5%) and mean gestational age was 37.2±2.2 weeks, and birth weight 2988.3±617 gram. The number of patients admitted in consistent with current treatment guideline of neonatal jaundice was 391 (75.4%). The group of “Babies Need to Treatment” showed significant relationship with the male gender (p=0.03), whereas other parameters including gestational age, birth weight, delivery type, multiple gestation and consanguineous marriage were nonsignificant. We think that newborns with jaundice should be on close follow-up in order to prevent development of bilirubin encephalopathy, however unnecessary investigations and treatment should be avoided as well.