Bilirubin encephalopathy

Common card · No. 446786

Bilirubin encephalopathy is a clinical condition in neonates caused by increased levels of bilirubin that is accumulated within the brain. This disease is a progression of neonatal jaundice if it is not identified and treated. Bilirubin is a naturally occurring substance in the body of humans and many other animals, but it is toxic to brain cells when its concentration in the blood is too high, a condition known as hyperbilirubinemia. Hyperbilirubinemia may cause bilirubin to accumulate in the grey matter of the central nervous system, potentially causing irreversible neurological damage. Depending on the level of exposure, the effects range from clinically unnoticeable to severe brain damage and even death. When hyperbilirubinemia increases past a mild level, it leads to jaundice, raising the risk of progressing to bilirubin encephalopathy. When this happens in adults, it is usually because of liver problems. Newborns are especially vulnerable to hyperbilirubinemia-induced neurological...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Gladys Cossio de Gurrola et al., CC BY 2.0