Cystatin-C as Novel Marker of Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia, in Al-Najaf City, Iraq

Abstract

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia results from a readiness for the bilirubin production in neonates and limited their ability to excrete it. The diagnosis of hyperbilirubinemia based on yellow discoloration of the skin and whiteness of eyes, idle in the child's movement and the lack of lactation. The baby seems sick or is difficult to awaken. Serum cystatin-C, is a low molecular protein that belongs to the family of cysteine protease inhibitor, was proposed as an endogenous filtration marker. In this study sixty neonatal patients suffering from hyperbilirubinemia (35 males,25female) were collected from prematurity unit (PU) in Al-Zahra Educational Hospital/Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf during the period from August,2020 to February,2021. A group of 20 randomly (12male, 8female) selected apparently healthy group. After diagnosis of hyperbilirubinemia, the patients were divided into three groups according to age (1-3), (4-7) and (7-9) days. The result reveals that significant increase (p<0.05) in serum cystatin-C in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia as compared with healthy group. The result of study reveals no significant increase(p<0.05) in serum levels of cystatin-C, while the study shows a significant increase (p<0.05) between male and female in serum levels of bilirubin.