Hyperbilirubinemia syndrome in infants: Clinical cases

To date, neonatal jaundice has raised numerous questions for both pediatricians and neonatologists. Since the timing of newborn discharge from the maternity hospital has changed in recent decades, primary care pediatricians and other specialists must make a differential diagnosis between various causes of an increase in bilirubin and, consequently, jaundice. Conditions such as jaundice of a healthy newborn (physiological and breast milk jaundice), jaundice due to hemolysis, impaired hepatic clearance of bilirubin, abnormalities of the biliary tract development, congenital metabolic disorders, and infectious and inflammatory liver diseases are well known. In all cases, the pediatrician must determine whether jaundice is a consequence of a life-threatening disease. Unfortunately, to date, mistakes occur that can be avoided by following simple recommendations and using routine and cost-effective examination methods. Our clinical cases illustrate the main challenges associated with neonatal jaundice.