Clinicopathological Spectrum of Bilirubin Encephalopathy/Kernicterus

Sumit Das; Frank K H van Landeghem

doi:10.3390/diagnostics9010024

Clinicopathological Spectrum of Bilirubin Encephalopathy/Kernicterus

Diagnostics (Basel). 2019 Feb 28;9(1):24. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics9010024.

Authors

Sumit Das^{1

2}, Frank K H van Landeghem^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neuropathology, University of Alberta and Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. sumit1@ualberta.ca.
² Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. sumit1@ualberta.ca.
³ Division of Neuropathology, University of Alberta and Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. vanlande@ualberta.ca.
⁴ Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. vanlande@ualberta.ca.

Abstract

Bilirubin encephalopathy/kernicterus is relatively rare, but continues to occur despite universal newborn screening. What is more interesting is the spectrum of clinical and even neuropathological findings that have been reported in the literature to be associated with bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus. In this review, the authors discuss the array of clinicopathological findings reported in the context of bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus, as well as the types of diagnostic testing used in patients suspected of having bilirubin encephalopathy or kernicterus. The authors aim to raise the awareness of these features among both pediatric neurologists and neuropathologists.

Keywords: bilirubin encephalopathy; diagnosis; kernicterus; neurological symptoms; neuropathology.

Publication types

Review