Evidence · Research paper
Rates of Extreme Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia and Kernicterus in Children and Adherence to National Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Sweden.
- Anaemia and transfusion
- Eyes and hearing
- Jaundice and haematology
- Jaundice and phototherapy
- Medical
- Neurodevelopmental follow-up
- Neurology
- Newborn hearing screening
- Nursing
- Postnatal and transitional care
- Quality improvement
This paper is from 2019, more than five years ago. Newer evidence may have been published since.
Summary
This Swedish nationwide population-based cohort study (2008-2016) reports the incidence of extreme and hazardous hyperbilirubinaemia and kernicterus in infants born at 35 weeks' gestation or later. It also audits healthcare professional adherence to national guidelines using predefined key performance indicators for diagnosis and treatment. Most kernicterus cases were judged potentially avoidable, with lapses including absent or untimely predischarge bilirubin screening, misinterpretation of bilirubin values, and delayed phototherapy or exchange transfusion. The findings highlight the importance of systematic screening and timely treatment in preventing bilirubin-induced brain injury.
Summary written for NICUlearn. Always read the original.
- Licence:
- Open (Creative Commons)
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