Apnea in acute bilirubin encephalopathy

Central apnea, defined as cessation of breathing for ≥20 s, is frequent in premature infants born at <34 weeks׳ gestation but uncommon among healthy late preterm (340/7–366/7 weeks׳ gestation) and term (≥37 weeks׳ gestation) infants, where it is usually a clinical manifestation of a neurological or metabolic problem. There is growing evidence that marked unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is associated with central apnea in neonates. This article explores the reported association between acute bilirubin encephalopathy and symptomatic apneic events in newborns and the possible mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this phenomenon. The prevalence of symptomatic apneic events in reports of acute bilirubin encephalopathy suggests this clinical finding should be considered a sign of bilirubin neurotoxicity.