NEONATAL JAUNDICE: TEN YEARS META¬ANALYSIS STUDIES FOR EGYPTIAN NEONATES

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice is a common health problem and is expected to be seen in approximately 60%-80% of healthy newborns. The rise of total serum bilirubin above the 95th percentile for age during the first week of life is considered as hyperbilirubinemia which occurs in nearly 8%-11% of neonates. Hyperbilirubinemia accounts for 75% of hospitalizations occurring within the first weeks after birth. Severe hyperbilirubinemia results in irreversible neurotoxicity or kernicterus. When hyperbilirubinemia is diagnosed, the adequate treatment is required to prevent several serious complications. The exact blood level above which unconjugated bilirubin will be neurotoxic is unpredictable. The aim of this study is to generate national parameters for neonatal jaundice and its determinants in Egypt. Type of the study: Meta-analysis (type 3) study: We systematically searched electronic university library council data base (eulc. edu. eg) for thesis published between January 2005 and January 2015. We included only studies that controlled for the effects of confounding variables in determining maternal and infant risk factors for severe hyperbilirubinemia. We conducted meta-analysis of the eligible studies and computed the summary risk estimates with random effects models.