Hyperbiliverdinemia in the bronze baby syndrome

The bronze baby syndrome is an unusual complication of phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia in the neonate. The pigment or pigments responsible for the discoloration in this syndrome have not yet been identified. Suspected pigments include photodegradation products of bilirubin and copper-porphyrins. We present here the case of a neonate with bronze baby syndrome whose serum had increased spectral absorbance in the region of maximum absorbance for biliverdin. We suggest that biliverdin pigments may also contribute to the "bronze" color associated with this syndrome.