Jaundice in the Newborn at the Teaching Hospital of Brazzaville

摘要

Introduction: Jaundice is a major symptom during neonatal time. It is defined by a bilirubin ≥ 50 mg/l. Objectives: To determine the frequency of neonatal jaundice at the Brazzaville University Hospital, to determine the main etiologies, to evaluate the management, to specify the evolution. Patients and Method: It was a prospective and descriptive study that was conducted in the Neonatology Department and Biochemistry Laboratory of the University Hospital of Brazzaville, from 1st August 2015 to 31st July 2016. It included newborn children admitted into the neonatal unit for treatment of jaundice. The variables studied were epidemiological, clinical, etiological therapy and outcome. Results: The frequency of the neonatal jaundice is 7.2%. The hyperbilirubinemia as not conjugated was found in 99.1% of cases. The main causes are bacterial neonatal infection n = 102 (47.9%), the physiological icterus n = 46 (21.6%) and the ABO incompatibility n = 40 (18.8%). The treatment consists of the phototherapy in all cases. Each phototherapy session lasts 3 hours n = 99 (56.9%), 6 hours n = 58 (33.3%) and 12 hours n = 17 (9.8%). The average duration of the administering of the therapy is of 3 ± 2 days. Hyperbilirubinemia encephalopathy occurred in 62 (29.1%) cases, including 49 cases of kernicterus. The death occurred in 70 (32.9%) children. Conclusion: The importance and the gravity of the neonatal jaundice require primary preventive means based on proper care in pregnancy and the birth. While the secondary prevention includes high index of suspicion, comprehensive diagnostic equipment availability to prevent acute bilirubin encephalopathy.