565 Follow-Up of Neonatal Nonhaemolytic Hyperbilirubinemia in Danish Term and Near-Term Infants with Total Serum Bilirubin Level = 420 Umol/L

Background: It is well described that infants with severe non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in the neonatal period, who present with acute encephalopathy may suffer from permanent brain damage, kernicterus. Whether the infants with severe hyperbilirubinemia presenting with minor or no neurological symptoms in the neonatal period may sustain more subtle brain injury resulting in developmental delay remain controversial.Objective: To study if severe non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinemia in infants with minor or no neurological symptoms in the neonatal period affects the childrens development at the age of 1-5 years.Design/Methods: A controlled descriptive study evaluating all infants born in Denmark 2004-2007 with a gestational age 35 weeks and severe neonatal non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinemia with total serum bilirubin (TSB) = 420 umol/l. Total births those years were approximately 240.000. The study group of 211 (0.9 per 1000) children was identified by linking electronically stored laboratory data with the Danish personal identification number and next medical records of all children with TSB = 420 umol/l was found. A control group of 208 children matched to the study group on sex, age, GA and municipality of residence was found through the Danish birth registry. The families to the children were mailed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), which is a parent completed questionnaire evaluating the childs development.Results: The response rate was 79% for the study group and 70% for the control group. There were no differences in ASQ score between the groups.Conclusions: We found no evidence of developmental delay in children with severe neonatal non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinemia.