Neonatal jaundice: the same topic, in a new era and an ever-challenging setting
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Abstract
Neonatal jaundice is the leading cause of readmission to the hospital for newborns (NBs) after discharge from the maternity ward, keeping pediatricians and neonatologists on alert. In the first days of life, indirect bilirubin physiologically acts as an antioxidant; its presence is secondary to hepatic immaturity, associated with a higher red blood cell mass and a shorter half-life of red blood cells. However, elevated indirect bilirubin can cause serious, irreversible damage to the central nervous system because the blood-brain barrier is immature in newborns.
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