Background: As hyperbilirubinemia is a significant cause of brain\ninjury, it is important to predict the cases who are at risk. Data for\npreterm infants are scarce. The aim of this study is to predict significant\nhyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants by measuring capillary\nbilirubin at 12th hour of life.\nMethods: One hundred and fifty neonates born = 35 weeks were\nincluded in the study. They were categorized into two groups according\nto their birth weights (group 1: 1,000 - 1,499 g; group 2:\n1,500 - 2,000 g). Their bilirubin levels were measured at 12th hour\nand daily thereafter for 5 days. Risk nomograms were generated\nbased on their bilirubin measurements and postnatal ages. On the\nage-specific percentile-based nomogram, the zone above the 90th\npercentile was determined as high risk and those below the fifth\npercentile as low risk. Infants who had bilirubin levels over the\nlimits defined according to their postnatal ages and birth weights\nwere accepted to have significant hyperbilirubinemia and received\nphototherapy and predictive value of the 12th hour bilirubin was\nasssessed.\nResults: Fifty-four of 57 infants (94.7%) in group 1 and 75/93 infants\n(80.7%) in group 2 received phototherapy. Capillary bilirubin\nlevels of 3.55 mg/dL and 4.55 mg/dL for group 1 and group 2 measured\nat the 12th hour of life had the highest sensitivity, negative\nand positive predictive value to predict the neonates who will develop\nsignificant hyperbilirubinemia.\nConclusion: Bilirubin levels of preterm infants should be monitored\nclosely. More attention should be paid to the ones who had\n12th hour bilirubin level above the cutoff values.
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