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Apnea in acute bilirubin encephalopathy
Sanjiv B Amin1, Vinod K Bhutani2, Jon F Watchko3
1Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
Seminars in Perinatology
|September 21, 2014
Summary
Central apnea, a breathing cessation, is linked to high bilirubin levels in newborns. This suggests bilirubin neurotoxicity may cause breathing problems in infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Central apnea (breathing cessation ≥20s) is common in premature infants.
- It is rare in healthy late preterm and term infants, often indicating neurological or metabolic issues.
- Growing evidence links severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia to central apnea in neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between acute bilirubin encephalopathy and symptomatic apneic events in newborns.
- To investigate potential mechanisms behind this phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of reported cases and studies.
- Analysis of clinical manifestations and proposed pathogenetic mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Symptomatic apneic events are frequently reported in cases of acute bilirubin encephalopathy.
- This association suggests a potential role for bilirubin in causing respiratory dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Symptomatic apneic events in newborns may be a sign of bilirubin neurotoxicity.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking hyperbilirubinemia and central apnea.
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