Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Isolation of Neonatal Extrahepatic Cholangiocytes
Published on: June 5, 2014
Neonatal jaundice
Paul Woodgate1, Luke Anthony Jardine
1Department of Neonatology, Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Insights
This review examines treatments for newborn jaundice, a common condition caused by bilirubin buildup. It assesses the effectiveness and safety of interventions like phototherapy and exchange transfusion for infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Clinical Evidence
Background:
- Neonatal jaundice affects 50% of term and 80% of preterm infants.
- Jaundice results from bilirubin deposition, often due to increased red blood cell breakdown or decreased bilirubin excretion.
- Typically, jaundice appears 2-4 days after birth and resolves within 1-2 weeks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review treatments for unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in term and preterm infants.
- To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of various interventions for neonatal jaundice.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a systematic review of medical literature up to February 2010.
- Searched databases including Medline, Embase, and The Cochrane Library.
- Included harms alerts from regulatory agencies like the FDA and MHRA.
Main Results:
- Included 42 systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies.
- Performed a GRADE evaluation to assess the quality of evidence for each intervention.
Conclusions:
- Presents findings on the effectiveness and safety of albumin infusion, exchange transfusion, home phototherapy, immunoglobulin, hospital phototherapy, and tin-mesoporphyrin.
- Provides evidence-based information for managing neonatal jaundice.
Introduction:
About 50% of term and 80% of preterm babies develop jaundice, which usually appears 2 to 4 days after birth, and resolves spontaneously after 1 to 2 weeks. Jaundice is caused by bilirubin deposition in the skin. Most jaundice in newborn infants is a result of increased red cell breakdown and decreased bilirubin excretion.
Methods And Outcomes:
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of treatments for unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia in term and preterm infants? We searched Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to February 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Results:
We found 42 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
Conclusions:
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: albumin infusion, exchange transfusion, home phototherapy, immunoglobulin, hospital phototherapy, and tin-mesoporphyrin.
Related Concept Videos
Jaundice
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
Inborn Errors of Metabolism
Pigmentation
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...

