Urinary tract infections in neonates with jaundice in their first two weeks of life

Mehmet Mutlu, Yasemin Çayır, Yakup Aslan

Erzurum, Turkey

Author Affiliations: Department of Neonatology (Mutlu M) and Department of Family Physician (Çayır Y), Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Erzurum, Turkey; Department of Neonatology, Karadeniz Technical University, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Trabzon, Turkey (Aslan Y)

Corresponding Author: Mehmet Mutlu, Department of Neonatology, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Erzurum, Turkey (Tel: 0442 2326166; Fax: 0442 2325090; Email: drmehmetmutlu38@hotmail.com)

doi: 10.1007/s12519-013-0433-1

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is a frequently seen condition in neonates. This study was undertaken to determine the role of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the etiology of indirect hyperbilirubinemia in neonates with jaundice in their first two weeks of life.

Methods: The study was conducted prospectively. The subjects were neonates aged 4-14 days with hyperbilirubinemia which could not be detected by routine tests and was sufficiently severe to necessitate phototherapy.

Results: The study was performed in 104 neonates, of whom 18% (n=19) had UTI. The most frequently identified micro-organism was Escherichia coli (43%). Phototherapy duration and rebound bilirubin level were higher in neonates with UTI (P<0.05).

Conclusion: UTI should be investigated in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia of unknown etiology in the first two weeks of life.

Key words: hyperbilirubinemia; neonate; urinary tract infection

World J Pediatr 2014;10(2):164-167