Meira e Cruz, MiguelRocha, IsabelBruni, Oliviero2020-03-192020-03-192020Acta Med Port 2020 Jan;33(1):76-801646-0758http://hdl.handle.net/10451/42503Copyright © Ordem dos Médicos 2020The interesting paper from Yu and colleagues on the association of neonatal serum bilirubin and childhood hypertension recently published in Plos One, flagged up a plausible role of bilirubin as a mediator of hypertension in later life. This is a highly important topic since hypertension, a main cause of cardiometabolic associated morbidity and mortality, may affect 2% to 4% of children. Bilirubin is a toxic endproduct of heme catabolism in the body, commonly seen in newborns and causing jaundice. It is detoxified mainly in the liver by means of several steps involving circadian regulated enzymatic processes. A balanced autonomic output to the liver is crucial for maintenance of the circadian rhythmicity that ensures the normal function of liver metabolic enzymes and glucose level.engjournal article10.20344/amp.12786