Kernicterus

Kernicterus is damage to the brain centers of infants caused by elevated levels of bilirubin. This may be due to several underlying pathologic processes. Newborn babies are often polycythemic, meaning they have too many red blood cells. When they break down the cells, one of the byproducts is bilirubin, which circulates in the blood, and causes jaundice. Alternately, Rh incompatibility between mother and fetus may cause hemolysis of fetal red blood cells, thereby releasing unconjugated bilirubin into the fetal blood. Since the fetal blood brain barrier is not fully formed, some of this released bilirubin enters the brain and interferes with normal neuronal development.In adults and older children, jaundice is harmless in and of itself. However, the tissues protecting the brain are immature in newborns. Bilirubin penetrates the brain and is deposited in the basal ganglia, causing irreversible damage. Depending on the level of exposure, the effects range from unnoticeable to severe brain damage.Some medications, such as co-trimoxazole, a combination of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole may induce this disorder to the baby when taken by the mother or given directly to the baby. Due to displacement of of bilirubin from binding sites on serum albumin. The bilirubin is then free to pass into the Central Nervous System, because the baby's blood-brain barrier is not fully developed. (From the Wikpedia article Kernicterus.)

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Recent Publications on Kernicterus:
Bilirubin screening for normal newborns: a critique of the hour-specific bilirubin nomogram. The introduction of exchange transfusion made it possible to prevent...	24th October, 2009	Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin,	Pediatrics. 2009 Oct;124(4):1203-5. Epub 2009 Sep 28. DOI Direct Link
Universal bilirubin screening, guidelines, and evidence. The introduction of exchange transfusion made it possible to prevent...	24th October, 2009	University of California, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,	Pediatrics. 2009 Oct;124(4):1199-202. Epub 2009 Sep 28. DOI Direct Link
Hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant > or =35 weeks' gestation: an update with clarifications. The introduction of exchange transfusion made it possible to prevent...	24th October, 2009	Department of Pediatrics, Oakland University William Beaumont School of	Pediatrics. 2009 Oct;124(4):1193-8. Epub 2009 Sep 28. DOI Direct Link
Screening of infants for hyperbilirubinemia to prevent chronic bilirubin encephalopathy: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. DESCRIPTION: Recommendation on screening newborn infants, based on a...	24th October, 2009		Pediatrics. 2009 Oct;124(4):1172-7. Epub 2009 Sep 28. DOI Direct Link
Systematic review of screening for bilirubin encephalopathy in neonates. CONTEXT: Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is associated with chronic...	24th October, 2009	Tufts Evidence-Based Practice Center and Center for Clinical Evidence	Pediatrics. 2009 Oct;124(4):1162-71. Epub 2009 Sep 28. DOI Direct Link
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Kernicterus Clinical Trials:
Efficacy of High-dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy for Hyperbilirubinemia Due Rh Hemolytic Disease

Kernicterus Patents:
US Patent No.	Title
4668670	Tin diiododeuteroporphyrin and therapeutic use thereof
5496836	Use of famotidine and related compounds in the treatment of movement disorders
5516526	Compositions containing DMSO and Fructose 1,6-diphosphate
5804405	Bilirubin detection
5919907	Preparation and utilization of a novel sterile albumin
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BioPortfolio Ltd. offers e-mail and postal lists for Kernicterus scientists - we have details of around 120 individuals working on Kernicterus .