Comparison of Transepidermal Water Loss in Preterm Newborns Treated with Two Different Types of Phototherapies.

Objective: To compare transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in preterm newborns treated with two different types of phototherapies.

Methods: In this experimental randomized controlled study, participants were 60 preterm infants aged 30 to 36 weeks' gestation who were admitted to the neonatal ICU of Duzce University Research and Application Center from December 2015 to May 2016. Researchers randomly assigned the newborns to two phototherapy groups: light-emitting diode (LED) and fluorescent phototherapy. Each group included 30 participants. Data were collected using a demographic information form and an evaporimeter to measure TEWL levels.

Results: Prior to phototherapy, the anterior region TEWL values were 11.99 ± 3.04 and 11.56 ± 3.99 g/m2 per hour in the fluorescent and LED groups, respectively, and the posterior region TEWL values were 12.82 ± 3.94 and 12.42 ± 4.24 g/m2 per hour in the fluorescent and LED groups, respectively. Prior to phototherapy, anterior and posterior TEWL measurements did not differ either within or between groups. However, in comparison with fluorescent group participants, participants in the LED group experienced significantly less water loss at 30 minutes and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after the start of phototherapy (P < .001).

Conclusions: Fluorescent phototherapy causes more water loss than LED phototherapy in preterm infants, and TEWL values are similar in both anterior and posterior measurements.