Does Conjunctival Icterus Predict Serious Hyperbilirubinemia in Healthy Neonates Seen in the Office?

No, but its absence makes serious hyperbilirubinemia unlikely.

Although conjunctival icterus (also known as scleral icterus) is a common finding in hyperbilirubinemia, in hospitalized neonates, it is an unreliable indicator of the need for measuring either transcutaneous or serum bilirubin levels to determine serious hyperbilirubinemia (≥15 mg/dL).

To assess whether conjunctival icterus identifies serious hyperbilirubinemia during routine office examinations shortly after birth, researchers recorded both conjunctival icterus and transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements in a convenience sample of 689 healthy infants aged 3 to 10 days, born at ≥35 weeks' gestation, and seen in one of six pediatric practices.

The prevalence of conjunctival icterus was 45% and was highest in Asian infants (69%) compared w…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Does Conjunctival Icterus Predict Serious Hyperbilirubinemia in Healthy Neonates Seen in the Office?

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Reviewing Author