Patient's question:
Please ask the doctor: The child's test results show neonatal jaundice. What level of high value may lead to bilirubin entering the brain?Doctor's answer:
Neonatal jaundice refers to the condition during the neonatal period where abnormal bilirubin metabolism leads to elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood, resulting in the yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera. It is the most common clinical issue in newborns. The severe complication of neonatal jaundice is bilirubin encephalopathy. When serum bilirubin levels are severely elevated or when high-risk factors are present, unconjugated bilirubin can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain, leading to bilirubin encephalopathy. Most cases occur within the first week of birth, with neurological symptoms potentially appearing as early as 1-2 days after birth. Hemolytic jaundice occurs early, typically between 3-5 days after birth. When high-risk factors such as prematurity, asphyxia, respiratory distress or hypoxia, severe infection, hypoproteinemia, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, acidosis, or a birth weight below 1.5 kg are present, bilirubin encephalopathy may also occur when bilirubin levels are below the critical threshold.