Neonatal Jaundice

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Bilirubin Metabolism

   1. Bilirubin Metabolism in the Newborn: Its Mechanisms and Relationship to Kernicterus

      • Leo Stern

      Pages 1-12

   2. Serum Bilirubin Mono- and Diconjugates in Human Newborns

      • Maurizio Muraca, Norbert Blanckaert, Johan Fevery, Firmino F. Rubaltelli, Virgilio Carnielli, Gianna Pettenà

      Pages 13-21

   3. Mechanism of Bilirubin Entry into the Brain in an Animal Model

      • Dag Bratlid

      Pages 23-34

   4. The Importance of Serum Binding and the Blood Brain Barrier in the Development of Acute Bilirubin Neurotoxicity

      • Richard P. Wennberg, A. J. Hance, Jorgen Jacobsen

      Pages 35-43

   5. Distribution of Bilirubin between Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid in Newborn Infants

      • P. Meisel, D. Jährig, I. Weinke, K. Jährig

      Pages 45-49

3. Assessment of the Risk of Bilirubin Toxicity

   1. The Chemical Nature of Fetal Albumin

      • Rolf Brodersen, Christian Jacobsen, Henning Iversen, Frank Lundquist

      Pages 51-54

   2. Estimation of Reserve Albumin Equivalent Concentration for Binding of Bilirubin

      • Rolf Brodersen

      Pages 55-61

   3. Postnatal Changes in the Ability of Plasma Albumin to Bind Bilirubin

      • F. Ebbesen, J. Nyboe

      Pages 63-67

   4. Interactions of Bilirubin and Drugs

      • William J. Cashore, Masahisa Funato

      Pages 69-77

   5. Estimation and Clinical Significance of Bilirubin Binding Status

      • Timos Valaes

      Pages 79-93

   6. Factors Affecting the Transcutaneous Measurement of Bilirubin: Influence of Race, Gestational Age, Phototherapy and Albumin Binding Capacity

      • A. K. Brown, M. H. Kim, G. Valencia, P. Nuchpuckdee, G. Boyle

      Pages 95-109

4. Chenistry and Photochemistry of Bilirubin

   1. Recent Advances in the Chemistry of Bile Pigments

      • Raymond Bonnett

      Pages 111-124

   2. Solution Conformations, Photophysics, and Photochemistry of Bilirubin and Biliverdin Dimethyl Esters

      • Kurt Schaffner

      Pages 125-139

   3. Photophysical Properties of Bile Pigments

      • E. J. Land, R. W. Sloper, T. G. Truscott

      Pages 141-147

   4. In Vitro and In Vivo Bilirubin-Sensitized Photoeffects at the Molecular and Cellular Levels

      • John D. Spikes

      Pages 149-159

   5. Photooxygenation Products of Bilirubin in the Urine of Jaundiced Phototherapy Neonates

      • D. A. Lightner, W. P. Linnane III, C. E. Ahlfors

      Pages 161-171

5. Phototherapy of Neonatal Jaundice

   1. Molecular Mechanisms of Phototherapy of Neonatal Jaundice

      • Antony F. McDonagh

      Pages 173-185

   2. Mechanisms of Action of Phototherapy: New Concepts

      • John F. Ennever, William T. Speck

      Pages 187-196

   3. Laser-Oriented Search of the Optimum Light for Phototherapy

      • G. P. Donzelli, M. G. Migliorini, R. Pratesi, G. Sbrana, C. Vecchi

      Pages 197-214

Hyperbilirubinemia of the neonate and the related risk of brain damage with conseguent important alterations in motor development, particularly in sick preterm babies, remains a major problem in nurseries throughout the world. Since its introduction in the 1950's phototherapy has been used for reducing serum bilirubin concentrations in the newborn with hyperbilirubinemia; however, only recently the photoprocesses invoked by light on various substrates including bilirubin have been clari­ fied in sufficient detail. Light treatment actually exemplifies the intimate relationship between the clinical and basic sciences: the better understanding of the mechanism of phototherapy as a result of investigations initiated in the laboratory has been extended to the bedside as new types of lamps or new schedules of treatment. As a consequence, phototherapy of hyperbilirubinemia has emerged as a well-established branch of photomedicine, based on molecular photo­ biology, scientific method, and creative use of physics and sophis­ ticated electrooptical capabilities. The collaboration and exchange of information between workers in different basic and clinical di­ sciplines is likely to stimulate a further optimization of photo­ therapy. The purpose of this monograph is to discuss some of the new aspects of bilirubin metabolism and phototherapeutic treatment. Bilirubin conjugation in the fetal and early neonatal life, the mechanism of bilirubin entry into the brain, the measurements of bilirubin concentration in the skin and serum bilirubin binding capacity are discussed by a number of prominent neonatologists.

• Laboratory
• biology
• brain
• development
• medicine
• metabolism
• newborn
• physics
• skin
• therapy
• treatment

• Department of Pediatrics, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

  Firmino F. Rubaltelli

• Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

  Giulio Jori

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