Ethnic differences in neonatal jaundice: comparison of Japanese and Caucasian newborn infants.

The incidence of neonatal jaundice was compared in Japanese and Caucasian infants at The Roosevelt Hospital between January, 1970, and August, 1972. The Japanese group was found to have significantly higher neonatal jaundice of unknown etiology (57 .39 per cent) than the Caucasian group (16 per cent). Twenty-three per cent of the Japanese group and none of the Caucasian group developed hyperbilirubinemia exceeding 15 mg. per 100 ml. of serum