Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41884044›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of clinical pediatrics2026

Comparison of bilirubin albumin ratio and total serum bilirubin for predicting neurological dysfunction in newborns: A meta-analysis.

Nabeel Ahmad, Uzair Ahmed, Ghulam Mohy Ud Din, Mavia Habib, Muhammad Shaheer Luqman, Muhammad Talha, Muneeb Saifullah, Ikra Rana

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Article in World journal of clinical pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nabeel AhmadDepartment of Pediatrics, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Uzair AhmedDepartment of Pediatrics, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Ghulam Mohy Ud DinDepartment of Pediatrics, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Mavia HabibDepartment of Cardiology, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad Shaheer LuqmanDepartment of Medicine, Ameer-Ud-Din Medical College, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad TalhaDepartment of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muneeb SaifullahDepartment of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Ikra RanaDepartment of Medicine, International School of Medicine, International University of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek 720074, Kyrgyzstan. ikrarana100@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND) remains a serious complication of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, especially in resource-limited settings. While total serum bilirubin (TSB) is widely used for risk stratification, the bilirubin/albumin (B/A) ratio has been proposed as a surrogate for free bilirubin, the neurotoxic fraction.

aimTo compare the diagnostic accuracy of the B/A ratio

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies evaluating the B/A ratio and TSB for predicting BIND in neonates (≥ 35 weeks' gestational age). Data sources included PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar. Pooled standardized mean difference (SMD), sensitivity, specificity, and heterogeneity (

resultsFive studies involving a total of 1022 neonates were included, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 57:40. The SMD for B/A ratio was 1.71 (95%CI: 1.00-2.41,

conclusionBoth TSB and the B/A ratio are comparably effective in predicting BIND. While the B/A ratio may provide incremental value in specific clinical contexts, current evidence supports continued reliance on TSB for routine risk stratification.

Indexed as

Albumin bindingBilirubin-albumin ratioBilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunctionDiagnostic accuracyKernicterusMeta-analysisNeonatal hyperbilirubinemiaNeonatal jaundiceNeurotoxicityTotal serum bilirubin

Identifiers

PMID41884044
PMCPMC13010676

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.