Variability of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of non-immune cause in the clinical practice

Objective: To know the variability in clinical practice related to the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the Neonatology Unit of the General University Hospital of Elche (Spain), where a specific clinical practice guide is not used. Method: Retrospective audit of medical records of 130 patients ≥35 weeks of gestational age who presented neonatal indirect (unconjugated) hyperbilirubinemia of non-immune cause during their first weeks of life, and required treatment with phototherapy in the Neonatal Unit of the General University Hospital of Elche, during the period 2010–2014. Result: Total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels at admission, the phototherapy time and the clinical stay vary with the type of applied phototherapy (p < 0,01), management of phototherapy (p < 0,01), and increase in TSB (p < 0,02). Phototherapy time is associated with TSB levels control by blood analysis sent to the laboratory (p < 0,05) and capillary radiometer (p < 0,03), total stools (p < 0,01), and clinical stay (p < 0,01). TSB levels at admission changes with neonatal age (p < 0,01), provenance (p < 0,01), and lactation during hospitalization (p < 0,03). In addition, the clinical stay is associated with the TSB levels control by capillary radiometer (p < 0,01), and total stools (p < 0,01). Conclusions: The results obtained show variability related to the TSB level at admission, the distribution of phototherapy time, and the clinical stay