AAP Clinical Practice Guideline Revision: Management of Hyperbilirubinaemia

American Academy of Pediatrics · 2022

The 2022 revision replaced the 2004 guideline and raised phototherapy thresholds, changing when treatment starts for a large number of otherwise well newborns.

Phototherapy thresholds were raised relative to the 2004 guideline.

Thresholds are presented by gestational age and by the presence of neurotoxicity risk factors.

Guidance on escalation of care and on exchange transfusion thresholds was restructured.

Risk factors for neurotoxicity, not only for hyperbilirubinaemia, drive the threshold selected.

Follow-up timing after discharge depends on the pre-discharge measurement relative to the threshold.

Verify the thresholds your unit's charts and calculators use are the 2022 set, not the 2004 set.