Covered Skin Bilirubin Measurement During Phototherapy In Comparison With Total Serum Bilirubin In Full Term Neonates

Abstract

Background: Jaundice is a common problem in neonates. Patients undergoing phototherapy need close follow-up of their serum bilirubin levels to determine the treatment response.Objective: To compare between transcutaneous bilirubin measurements (TCB) from covered skin area during phototherapy and total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels.Study design: This prospective observational study included thirty full-term neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy. We covered a part of the skin (forehead and sternum) in each neonate by using BiliEclipse photo opaque patch and used this covered site to measure TCB during phototherapy to compare it with TSB. Both TSB and TCB estimation were performed from icteric newborns before, at 24 and 48 hours of exposure to phototherapy Results: There was no significant difference between TSB, forehead TCB and sternum TCB before phototherapy and no significant difference between TSB, covered forehead & sternum TCB at 24 hours and 48hours of starting phototherapy. There was highly significant positive correlation between TSB, covered forehead and sternum TCB during phototherapy. No significant difference in both covered forehead and sternum TCB according to different used TCB devices. Conclusion: Measurement of TCB from covered area of skin during phototherapy using transcutaneous bilirubinmeters is reliable method to assess TSB in full term neonates and could lead to a reduction in blood sampling and its complications.